RP-Harbour: Mission accomplished

JAKARTA – For two years, the Philippines helplessly stood by while serving out the FIBA suspension that barred the country from participating in international competitions.

Harbour Centre-Team Philippines washed those bitter memories away by claiming the 2007 SEABA Champions Cup at the expense of host team SM Britama Indonesia here Saturday.

Coach Junel Baculi and his troops walloped the Indons, 85-67, giving the Philippines the title in its grand return to international play.

The emphatic victory, cheered on by a good size of Filipinos based here, also became the country’s ticket to the FIBA-Asia Champions Cup in Tehran, Iran next month. Harbour Centre is turning the baton to the all-pro SMC-Team Pilipinas in the Tehran competition.

"It’s mission accomplished," said Harbour Centre team owner and RP amateur basketball godfather Mikee Romero after his squad paved the way for the Philippines’ trip to Tehran.

SBP president Manny Pangilinan, PBA commissioner Noli Eala, PBL commissioner Chino Trinidad and Toyota-Balintawak team owner Rey Oben have sent messages lauding the Nationals for a job well done.

Toyota-Balintawak 5-foot-7 guard Marvin Cruz played like a giant in the final game and was named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player.

Import Julius Nwosu stamped his class against Indon counterpart Ian Crosswhite, coming through with double-double numbers with 18 points and 16 rebounds. The former Boston Celtic and San Antonio Spur was named Final MVP.

But the tense final match produced not just one or two brand-new heroes for Philippine basketball. For the coaching staff, also made up of Louie Alas, George Gallent and Jun Noel, mapped up a game plan perfectly executed by the players for a sweet revenge on their five-point defeat to the Indons during the elims.

"It was a near flawless game for us. It made me proud as a Filipino. I’m proud of the boys," said Romero.

Riding the momentum of their 122-point conquest of the Vietnamese Friday, the Nationals established control early, sat on a 15-point cushion at the half and kept leads of no less than 13 the rest of the way.

Vidal Massiah endured a bruised left knee and flexed his muscles on the defensive end. Jonathan Fernandez fired three triples and finished with 16 while JC Intal and Ryan Arana combined for

19 points while alternately taking on high-flying Indon import Kueth Duany defensively.

It was a bitter-sweet night for Massiah as he later got a message that his grandmother has passed away back home in Canada.

Massiah and Nwosu teamed up for the game’s highlight play as they beat the shot-clock buzzer on an alley-oop pass by Massiah setting up Nwosu for a two-hand jam off Crosswhite.

making it 83-64 with time down to 59.9 seconds.

Intal also sent the cheering, singing and dancing Filipino crowd up on their feet on a breakaway two-handed slam giving the Nationals a 76-57 advantage with 4:40 to go.