CEBU CITY, Philippines – Defending national champion M. Lhuillier-Cebu Niños play hosts to last conference’s runner-up Harbour Centre-Taguig Batang Global, Misamis Oriental Meteors and the Smart-Pampanga Buddies in the Cebu City leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II at the New Cebu Coliseum today.
The Niños take on the Harbour-Global side at 6 p.m. while the Smart Buddies square off with the Meteors at 4 p.m.
The Niños hope to become the first team to win a leg championship at home in the conference backed by Smart, ML Kwarta Padala, Air21, Accel, Burlington, Laptop Phoneshop Exchange and Molten and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP). The Niños are also out to stretch their win run to 12 at home dating back to last conference.
Currently at sixth in the Liga tour standings with 19 points, the Niños need to do well in order to move into the top four spots and gain home court advantage in the opening round of the national playoffs later this month. The franchise is coming off a successful conquest of the Manila leg last Feb. 21.