Rookie carries Welcoat past Harbour Centre

Welcoat Paints went to rookie Paolo Orbeta down the stretch as it turned back stubborn Harbour Centre, 81-78, yesterday to seize solo second place in the 2005 PBL Unity Cup at the Pasig Sports Center.

Orbeta, a neophyte out of St. Benilde, fired all his 11 points in the fourth quarter as the Paint Masters sealed a fourth straight win and fifth overall against a loss to move closer to unbeaten Montaña Jewels (6-0).

"Paolo Orbeta stepped up for us again. He really wanted to prove something to coach Tonichi kasi player niya dati siya," said Welcoat Paints coach Caloy Garcia.

But it was Mapua standout Erwin Sta. Maria, who sparked the team’s decisive run as he scored seven of his nine points in the final period.

Earlier, Toyota Otis-Letran leaned on its three-point shooters as it survived a tough Granny Goose Kornets, 85-79, to notch its third victory against the same number of losses.

Mark Macapagal and Emer Oreta combined for seven triples, including one a piece in the fourth quarter that broke the backs of the Snack Masters, who reeled to their fourth setback in six outings.

It also helped that Kornets miss 19 of their 42 free throw attempts, including four down the stretch that stymied their bid.

Ahead 58-40 midway in the third period, the Knights wavered in the face of the Snack Masters’ blistering run, enabling Kornets to grab a 72-68 lead early in the final quarter.

But the Snack Masters, a surprise semifinalist in the 2004 Open Championship, failed to sustain that momentum and muffed one foul shot after another then Macapagal and Oreta came through with those crucial triples in the clutch.