Liga Misamis Oriental leg starts

CAGAYAN DE ORO, Philippines – The SMC Liga Pilipinas Conference V concludes its six-week Tour Phase with the Misamis Oriental Leg today at the Xavier University Gym.

The host Misamis Oriental Meteors of Gov. Oscar Moreno will tangle with three-time weekly champion Cebu Landmasters RDAK-Mandaue, MP Warriors of GenSan and defending National Champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños in an all-Southern showdown.

As the teams gird for next month’s Super Leg, a lot of roster changes have been made. The Jun Noel-mentored Meteors have acquired free agents Ardy Larong and JR Gerilla and reactivated guard Mark Moreno to help out Liga Pilipinas scoring leader Egay Billones who norms 17.1 points a game. Billones should also get support from Dino Daa, Ken Bono, Neil Raneses and Lyndon Gudez.

M. Lhuillier has been struggling, winning only once in their last six games. To address their skid, the Michel J. Lhuillier-owned franchise signed youngsters Ogie Menor, Allein Maliksi, Marvin Hayes, Mark Jefferies and Argel Mendoza and reactivated bruiser Ariel Mepana. Coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba has yet to decide who to place on reserve to accommodate the newcomers.

Fresh from their third weekly championship last week in General Santos City, Mandaue of Joe Soberano and Rick King is expected to keep its winning roster intact. Coach Jun Tan will still bank on Mark Magsumbol, Ariel Capus and Axel Doruelo on offense while anchoring their stingy defense on Marlon Basco, Harold Sta. Cruz and Hafer Mondragon.

Just like Mandaue, the MP Warriors of Rep. Manny Pacquiao and Coach Arvin Bonleon are expected to retain the same roster except for the return of Alfie Grijaldo who sat out last week due to an injury, leaving Louie Medalla, Jonathan Parreno and Dondon Mendoza to carry the team. His presence is expected to boost the Warriors’ chances to sneak past the idle Ilocos Sur CS Tigers for the fifth and last Super Leg berth. The Warriors trail the Tigers by a point (14-15) in the overall standings of the conference supported by San Miguel, Molten, Summit Natural Drinking Water and Accel.

The last three Misamis Oriental legs have been won by the Ninos and they hope to make it four this week. On the other hand, the host Meteors can only account for two Second Place (both to the Ninos) and two Third Place finishes at home. Expect another chapter of the Ninos-Meteors rivalry to be written this week.

Actually, all four teams seeing action this week were the very same teams that clashed in the Conference III Misamis Oriental leg from September 9 to 12, 2009. M. Lhuillier swept all their four games, capped by an 82-77 thumping of the Meteors in the finals. Mandaue took Third Place by repeating over the Warriors, 65-62. M. Lhuillier’s Woodraw Enriquez was named as the week’s Most Valuable Player.

While the Meteors, M. Lhuillier, Mandaue and the idle Laguna Golden Lions are safely in the Super Leg, they hope to use this week to pick up positive momentum entering the five-team tournament that will determine the next Liga Pilipinas National Champion. The Super Leg is scheduled for July 12 to 17, 2011 at a venue to be announced at the conclusion of the Misamis Oriental Leg this weekend.