Meteors ground Landmasters, gain final

MANDAUE CITY ,Philippines  – Misamis Oriental edged Cebu Landmasters RDAK-Mandaue, 59-56, last Thursday to advance to the finals of the Mandaue City leg of the SMC Liga Pilipinas Conference V at the Mandaue City Cultural and Sports Center.

The Meteors took charge early then thwarted Mandaue’s late surge to improve to 2-0 and arrange a showdown with the winner of last night’s clash between the defending National Champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños.

Egay Billones led the Meteors with 12 points and six rebounds in the low-scoring contest while Allan Salangsang added nine points.

Mandaue, which won its first five games, was paced by Mark Magsumbol with 15 points while Marlon Basco chipped in 13 and grabbed six rebounds.

In the first game, the Niños of Michel Lhuillier and coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba manhandled the Laguna Golden Lions of Gov. ER Ejercito and coach Philip Cezar to keep their title hopes alive, 77-61. The Golden Lions remained winless in two starts in the tournament supported by San Miguel, Molten, Summit Natural Drinking Water and Accel.

The Niños opened the tussle with an 8-0 run that caught the Golden Lions flatfooted. It was all M. Lhuillier from there, save for a brief span midway in the first period wherein they temporarily ceded the advantage.

Ferdinand Lusdoc powered the rout with 15 points and six rebounds while Felix Belano knocked in 14 more points. Boyet Bautista was the Golden Lions’ top scorer with 16 followed by Robert Sanz with 11.