SANTO DOMINGO, Ilocos Sur – The M. Lhuillier-Cebu Niños began the formal defense of their Liga Pilipinas National Championship with a hard-earned 87-84 triumph over the host Ilocos Sur Bravehearts on Day One of the Ilocos Sur leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II Wednesday evening at the Santo Domingo People’s Center.
The tight contest produced five ties and six lead changes until the 4:54 mark of the third period when Bruce Dacia scored on a lay-up that gave the Ninos the lead for good, 54-53.
Suddenly, Ilocos Sur guard Marvin Yambao was slapped a technical foul for undercutting the airborne Dacia, resulting in two free throws by Woodraw Enriquez.
This week’s games are part of the province’s Kannawidan Ylocos Festival. Liga Pilipinas is made possible by Smart, ML Kwarta Padala, Air 21, Burlington, Nature’s Spring, Molten and Accel and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).
In the first game, the Trace-Laguna Stallions of Erwin Genuino and coach Nomar Isla gave the Smart-Pampanga Buddies and their newly appointed head coach Allan Gregorio a heavy beating, 81-60.
The Stallions broke the game wide open in the third period, behind the eight points of Robert Sanz and four each by Ricky Ricafuente and Glen Bolocon to erect a 57-41 cushion entering the final period.
The Buddies never recovered from there as Samuel Ekwe and former Buddy Marlon Legaspi put the finishing touches on the victory. Two free throws by Alex Angeles gave the Stallions their biggest lead, 75-53. Legaspi punctuated the game with a buzzer beater.
The Stallions capitalized on their size advantage as they badly outrebounded the Buddies 55-37 which they converted into 16 second chance points compared to only 4 for Pampanga.