Viva sparkles more than Hapee

With a rivalry dating back to last year, the much-awaited duel between Viva-FEU and defending champion Hapee Toothpaste has all the trimmings of another classic game. It did, only until the final three minutes.

Unleashing a late run, the Water Force outlasted the Teeth Sparklers, 67-64, in overtime yesterday to stretch their amazing run to six in the PBL Unity Cup at the over-hot UST Gym.

This year’s top rookie pick Neil Raneses starred in a telling 9-1 exchange in the last 3.11 minutes of OT with four crucial foul shots that handed Viva its eighth victory in nine outings, giving it enough cushion going into the semifinals.

But more than Raneses’ endgame heroics, it was the pair of Dennis Miranda and Arwind Santos who did the biggest damage with game-long heads up plays.

Miranda had 14 points, including a lay-up in regulation that forced extra time, on top of five rebounds, five assists and two steals while Santos was four blocks short of a triple-double with 17 markers, 11 caroms and six blocks.

"It was a mind game and I’m so happy we won it in the end," said Viva coach Koy Banal, who lost to Junel Baculi and the Teeth Sparklers in last year’s first Unity Cup via the full, five-game route.

The Water Force appeared tired in the early goings after arriving Monday night from a successful stint in an invitational tournament in Guam as the Teeth Sparklers dominated them in the first three quarters.

But Santos keyed a 14-2 blitz early in the fourth quarter to turn a 37-42 third quarter deficit to a 51-44 lead before a triple each by Eugene Tan and Emerson Oreta open-ended a 11-2 counter attack to give Hapee back the lead, 55-53.

With 11 seconds to go, Miranda drove past the tough-playing Tan to score the game-tying basket.

The Teeth Sparklers took a 63-58 lead early in OT but it was to be their last show of resistance as Raneses took over in the decisive run that Santos capped with a slam dunk.

It was the Lamoiyan franchise’s fifth loss against four wins.

In the other game, Blustar Detergent scored six foul shots in the stretch as it turned back Sunkist-UST, 76-70, for its fourth win against five losses.

It was the Tigers’ first loss at the UST Gym in five games starting last season and fifth overall against four triumphs.