CAGAYAN DE Oro City, Philippines – Host Misamis Oriental Meteors crushed the MP Warriors of GenSan, 90-64, at the start of the SMC Liga Pilipinas Conference V Super Leg on Tuesday at the Xavier University Gymnasium.
Every player fielded by coach Jun Noel contributed in the Meteors’ balanced attack resulting to the rout for the host team of Gov. Oscar Moreno.
The Meteors unleashed a 14-0 run midway in the final canto starring Ken Bono and Rudy Lingganay for their biggest cushion at 84-49.
MP Warriors key player Alfie Grijaldo returned from injury but went scoreless in the game.
Egay Billones again led the Meteors with 14 points followed by Bono and Dino Daa with 10 apiece. Bono also hauled a team-best nine rebounds.
Christopher Concepcion paced the MP Warriors with 13 points and four assists while Jasper Callo added 12 points and four rebounds.
In the first game, center Nat Cruz drained a triple at the buzzer to lift the defending national champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños over the top-seeded Cebu Landmasters RDAK-Mandaue, 72-71.
It was the only time the Niños of Michel Lhuillier took the lead in the game.
With a chance to ice the game, Mandaue’s Marlon Basco could only make the second of two free throws at the 17-second mark, 71-69. With coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba out of timeouts, the Niños grabbed the defensive rebound and raced down the floor with the ball going to the suddenly open Cruz for the game-winner.
Ariel Mepana paced M. Lhuillier with 18 points despite sitting out the final three minutes due to severe cramps.
Cruz and Maliksi finished with 15 markers each. Ariel Capus was the top man for Mandaue with 16 points followed by Mark Magsumbol with 14.
The Laguna Golden Lions of Gov. ER Ejercito and coach Philip Cezar drew an opening day bye in the weeklong tournament made possible by San Miguel, Molten, Summit Natural Drinking Water and Accel. The games of the Liga Pilipinas Super Leg are telecast on Basketball TV.