Quezon thumps Apayao in Liga; Niños unbeaten

LUCENA CITY , Philippines  – Host Quezon Red Oilers romped to their second straight win in the Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference III Quezon Province Leg Thursday evening with a 43-point annihilation of the EKB-Apayao Rapids, 111-68, at the Quezon Convention Center.

With the win, the team of Gov. Raffy Nantes and coach Oliver Bunyi secured a championship date today against the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños, winners in the first game against defending national champion Misamis Oriental Meteors, 73-72. Both teams own 2-0 win-loss cards and out of reach of the Meteors and Rapids who have 0-2 records.

Big men Erik Suguitan, Galen Cacha and Kim Macanig frolicked against the smaller Rapids frontline to lead the way for the Red Oilers. Suguitan made 12 points and nine rebounds while Cacha and Macanig backed him with 11 markers apiece. Overall, 11 of the 14 players fielded by Bunyi submitted at least seven points. Richard Cabico and Gerold Canson topped the Rapids with 13 points each.

 “We’re just so glad that the team is complete again. This is the Red Oilers of last conference and I am very hopeful the team will not let our home fans down.” said Coach Bunyi.

The drama came in the first game as the Ninos of Michel J. Lhuillier and Coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba gained their tenth consecutive win to preserve their perfect slate in the conference supported by Smart, Accel, Molten, Calcium-Cee, Air 21, Gatorade and Burlington and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

The Ninos erased the Meteors’ 72-68 advantage in the final eight seconds of the ballgame. Meteor center Mark Kong was slapped a technical foul for elbowing Nino swingman Ian Saladaga in a rebound play. Deemed unfit to take the free throws, Coach Alcoseba assigned Bruce Dacia who calmly made both shots to close in, 70-72.

With the ball staying with the Ninos and eight ticks on the clock, Mark Ababon drove to the basket and issued a drop pass to the waiting Dacia who scored the equalizer plus a foul on Meteor center Philip Butel. Down to three seconds to play, Dacia gave the Ninos the lead via the bonus charity, 73-72. With no more timeouts to call for Meteors coach Jun Noel, Eder Saldua executed a midcourt heave that went nowhere.

The Ninos led by as much as 21 markers in the first half. However, the Meteors rallied behind the good play of shooter Patrick Cabahug, seizing the lead with five minutes to play in the fourth period.

Dacia finished with 15 points following by Stephen Padilla with 14. Cabahug topped the Meteors of Gov. Oscar Moreno with 19 points and five rebounds while point guard Ramil Tagupa added 12 points and three assists.

The league’s official website is at www.ligapilipinas.net. Selected games from the Quezon Province Leg will be shown next week on Solar Sports from Wednesday to Saturday. Liga Pilipinas Classics air daily on Viva Prime Channel.