Misamis Oriental inches closer to semis

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Philippines – Top seed Misamis Oriental Meteors trounced eighth seed MP Warriors of GenSan, 64-62, and moved a step closer to the semifinals of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II playoffs Wednesday at the Xavier University Gym.

The Meteors of Gov. Oscar Moreno and coach Jun Noel can close out the Warriors of Manny Pacquiao in Game 4 tonight at the Arturo Lugod Memorial Sports and Cultural Center in Gingoog City. If needed, the deciding Game 5 will still be at the ASLMSCC tomorrow.

For the second game in a row, the Meteors limited the Warriors to only nine points in the opening period, 20-9, on baskets by top Conference II MVP contender Mark Yee and guard Mark Moreno. This time though, the Warriors would fight back and force six deadlocks and four lead changes.

Ramil Tagupa led the Meteors with 14 points while Joey Mente added 13. Recustodio was the lone Warrior in twin digits with 17 points on four triples followed by JP Locsin with nine markers.

Meanwhile, the Trace-Laguna Stallions also gun for the semis against Holy Angel University at the HAU Gym in Angeles City. 

The Stallions lead the series, 2-1.

The Stallions took the series opener, 62-60, but the Buddies of Coach Allan Gregorio recovered to take Game Two and steal the home court advantage, 78-71. The Stallions won Game Three in overtime, 84-83, behind the heroics of main man Jerwin Gaco. Gaco will need good support from guard Alex Angeles, forwards Glen Bolocon and Jan Villaver and center Samuel Ekwe for the Stallions to go further.

The Buddies will go all out to stay alive and force a Game Five tomorrow, still at the HAU Gym. Team scoring leader Don Camaso returns after missing Game Three due to a fight with Stallion Robert Sanz in Game Two. Also having a good series are guards Khiel Misa and Joshua Urbiztondo and wingmen Emmerson Oreta and Nino Gelig.

The Liga Pilipinas Playoffs are strongly supported by Smart, ML Kwarta Padala, Air 21, Accel, Burlington, Nature’s Spring Water, Laptop Phoneshop Exchange and Molten and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP)..

Already waiting are semifinal early birds Quezon Red Oilers and the defending National Champion M. Lhuillier-Cebu Ninos. The Red Oilers will face the Meteors-Warriors winner while the Stallions-Buddies victor gets a date with the Ninos. The semifinal round will begin on April 2.

How They Scored:

MISAMIS ORIENTAL (64) - Tagupa 14, Mente 13, Moreno 9, Yee 9, Kong 6, Gudez 5, Daja 5, Micutuan 2, Butel 1, Bombeo 0, Numeran 0.

GENERAL SANTOS (62) - Recustodio 17, Locsin 9, Farochillen 7, Mendoza 6, Coronado 5, Ilanga 5, Gonzaga 4, Tadena 4, Sagad 3, Lamocha 2, Callo 0, Medalla 0, Omandam 0.

Period Scores: 20-9, 35-25, 50-50, 64-62.