Sunkist, Hapee glad to share Unity Cup lead

Defending champion Hapee Toothpaste and Sunkist-UST thumped separate foes yesterday to join two other squads on top of the Philippine Basketball League Unity Cup at the Makati Coliseum.

The Teeth Sparklers survived the end-game rally of Lee Pipes- Ateneo, 79-71, while the Tigers went through a protracted wringer to take down the Jewels, 76-68, in the nightcap.

With their respective wins, Hapee and Sunkist tote a 2-0 card in a tie with Welcoat Paints and Viva Mineral Water-Far Eastern U.

Viva is riding the victory crest after defeating Blustar Detergents, 83-76, while Welcoat climbed the leaderboard by beating newcomer Toyota Otis-Letran, 76-69, last Thursday.

Tyro Ateneo and PBL mainstay Montana, on the other hand, have yet to pierce the win column after two outings.

At the half of the Hapee-Lee ballgame, the PBL passed the hat around and, from among the audience, raised P7,061.25 to help cancer-stricken Jon-Jon Tabique, a former UP Maroon and member of the Blustar squad now under chemotherapy.

Hapee played with uncrumpled intensity in the first three cantos but almost got whipped in the last two minutes. Former teammate and now-Lee Pipes guard Lewis Alfred Tenorio delivered three of his five triples to cut Hapee’s lead of 20 points to just nine.

Though time was not on Tenorio’s side, it was enough to shake the knees of coach Junel Baculi as he mobilized his demolition squad of Francis Albert Mercado, Eugene Tan, Jeff Napa, Ollan Omiping and Mark Macapagal to finish off the Blue Eagles.

"We worked our butts off in the first 38 minutes but yung last two we slackened. But that was expected they (Lee Pipes) are a school team and up to the end magrarah-rah iyan," said Baculi. "It is a good thing my veterans came out in the end."

Mercado, a 6-5 center, shone with 21 points and four rebounds while rookie Reed Friar Juntilla added 12 markers, three rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Tenorio topscored for Ateneo with 20 points, six rebounds, nine assists and four steals while JC Intal chalked 14, five and two.

Ateneo big men Paolo Bugia and Marlon Basco, both down with injuries, was sorely missed as the Teeth Sparkler had a field day inside the paint. Hapee outrebounded the Blue Eagles, 56-37, and vacuumed most of the second chance points, 17-6.

For the second time around, Jemal Vizcarra showed the way for Sunkist-UST as he scored 18 points, two rebounds and one assist to lift Espana-based school past the Jewels. Pivotman Ronald Capati also rose to the occasion with 13 points and four rebounds.