Harbour Centre completes difficult climb to throne

In the end, it all boiled down to one man – Joseph Yeo.

Shackled in Game 4, the enigmatic Yeo yesterday played probably the biggest game of his life as an amateur, exploding in the fourth quarter to power Harbour Centre over Toyota Otis, 73-66, and to the PBL Unity Cup title before a huge weekend crowd.

Yeo, who will join the PBA rookie draft this August, sizzled with a series-high 28 points, including 13 in the final period where the Port Masters unleashed a killer run that sealed the 3-2 triumph in the series.

Yeo finished the game with seven three-pointers, each one of them drawing big cheers from the Harbour Center crowd.

Consistent all throughout the series, LA Tenorio also shone with 17 points, four rebounds and four assists that was enough to earn him the Finals MVP plum.

But biggest player of Game 5–the second straight in the PBL since Magnolia edged Rain or Shine early this year– was no other than Yeo.

Playing for all the marbles, Yeo struggled in the first half but found his rhythm in the second, particularly in the fourth quarter where he drained four triples in a 15-point barrage that turned a 53-57 deficit to a 68-57 lead.

The Sparks unleashed a desperate run, but the Port Masters managed to finish them despite sinking only five-of-12 charities in the end. "He told me before the game he’s fed with passing and he’ll bounce back here, which he just did," said Harbour Centre coach Jorge Gallent, who steered the franchise from the bottom early in the conference all the way to the championship.

Toyota coach Louie Alas said Yeo was the biggest difference.

"His three-pointers in the fourth quarter were crucial. He made the biggest difference," said Alas, referring to the former La Salle standout.

The absence of the versatile Aaron Aban, who sat out the second straight game because of a sprained right wrist, also hastened Toyota Otis’ downfall.

"I don’t want to use it as an excuse but it would have been different had Aaron played," said Alas.

Cellular phone snatchers also had a field day, victimizing a number of individuals including Harbour Centre team owner Mikee Romero.

But the youthful team owner surely didn’t mind as long as the title is theirs to keep.

The game was delayed for almost an hour because of the slippery court caused by the humidity inside the venue.

Janitors had to map the court at every opportunity to save players from any injury.

The venue, which could house 4,000, was so packed security guards and even policemen had to hold back fans who wanted to get in. Former NCAA management committee chairman Fr. Vic Calvo of Letran was among those who had difficulty getting in.

The Port Masters dictated the pace early as they led by nine, 20-11, in the first quarter.

They sustained the tempo early in the second at 27-19, but the Sparks unloaded a 17-2 blast to turn that deficit to a 36-29 lead late in the period.

A jumper by Tenorio and a triple by Yeo at the buzzer cut the deficit to 34-36 at the break.