GenSan Warriors rip Pampanga five

SAN FERNANDO CITY – The MP GenSan Warriors registered a major upset by beating host and perennial title favorite Smart-Pampanga Buddies, 68-67, at the start of the Pampanga leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II at the University of the Assumption gym.

GenSan limited Pampanga to only two points in the last 2:45 of the game to escape with the come-from-behind victory. The smaller and less experienced Warriors outhustled and outworked the off-form Buddies who committed 21 turnovers, leading to 21 Warrior points and allowing GenSan 33 fastbreak points to only 12 for the Pampanga.

With the Buddies leading at the 2:36 mark of the final canto, 67-61, Warriors forward Jasper Callo and guard Bob Cozy Ilanga scored the game’s next five points to threaten, 66-67. Callo then missed a potential game-winning triple with 16 ticks to go.

Emmerson Oreta gained the loose ball and was quickly fouled. Oreta wilted and missed both his free throws, allowing the Warriors to grab the defensive rebound that led to an outlet pass to Jonjon Gonzaga for an unmolested lay-up and the lead with eight seconds remaining, 68-67.

The regional league is sponsored by Smart, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Air 21, ML Kwarta Padala and Accel together with the Manila Capitals who beat last conference’s runner-up Harbour Centre-Taguig Batang Global of Mayor Freddie Tinga in the curtain raiser, 88-82.