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Iligan five survives Ozamiz Cotta, captures NBC Cup
Inquirer
Last updated 04:08am (Mla time) 08/15/2007
ILIGAN CITY -- The Firefly-Iligan Crusaders crowned themselves the new NBC Cup champions Monday night by nosing out three-time titlist Ozamiz Cotta, 81-79, at the packed MSU-IIT gym here.
The Crusaders withstood a fierce rally by the Cotta Shrine cagers to sweep the best-of-three series and foil Ozamiz’s bid for a fourth straight championship.
Ozamiz cut Iligan’s 80-73 lead to one on back-to-back triples by Marlon Basco and Bruce Dacia with 15 seconds left. But Arden Guiyab split his charities off a Billy Bansil foul and the Crusaders escaped with the upset as Orly Alvarado’s desperation triple rimmed out at the buzzer.
It was actually the first-ever championship for Mayor Lawrence Cruz’s Crusaders in the country’s premier regional cagefest which was first dominated by Tribu Sugbu and then Ozamiz of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog.
Marlon Kalaw had a big hand in making this happen as he scattered 21 points, grabbed five rebounds and issued five assists after scoring 12 in the first game, which Iligan won, 88-83.
The Cotta Shrine dribblers refused to give up, however, and grabbed the lead, 63-61, going into the payoff period on the snipings of Dacia and Bansil.
Bong Marata, suiting up for his hometown Iligan after a stint with Pagadian last year, won MVP honors in the tournament supported by Sulpicio Lines, Spring Cooking Oil, Yahoo Phils., San Miguel Beer, Caltex, Sun Cellular, Firefly Lightings, Trans Asia Shipping Lines, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Basketball TV and Viva Prime Channel.
Basco, a former two-time MVP, Dacia, Iloilo’s Ruel Balgos and Iligan’s Harold Sta. Cruz joined Marata in the Mythical Team while Ian Saladaga, also of Iligan, was named Rookie of the Year.
“It’s a collective effort,” said Iligan team manager Freddie Siao. “It’s a big honor to win our first crown at the expense of the defending champions. We thank our supporters for keeping their faith and our team owner Mayor Lawrence [Cruz].”
The scores:
ILIGAN 81 -- Kalaw 21, Matias 12, Go 10, Mangahas 8, Saladaga 7, Cruz 7, Marata 7, Sta. Cruz 5, Guiyab 3, Cabili 1, Hardin 0.
OZAMIZ 79 -- Basco 18, Dacia 18, Cavan 16, Sampilo 10, Gatumbato 8, Nicdao 5, Bansil 3, Liangco 1, Delina 0, Alvarado 0, Caylan 0, Tiongson 0, Balares 0.
Quarters: 29-17, 52-39, 61-63, 81-79
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...ticle_id=82628
Inquirer
Last updated 04:08am (Mla time) 08/15/2007
ILIGAN CITY -- The Firefly-Iligan Crusaders crowned themselves the new NBC Cup champions Monday night by nosing out three-time titlist Ozamiz Cotta, 81-79, at the packed MSU-IIT gym here.
The Crusaders withstood a fierce rally by the Cotta Shrine cagers to sweep the best-of-three series and foil Ozamiz’s bid for a fourth straight championship.
Ozamiz cut Iligan’s 80-73 lead to one on back-to-back triples by Marlon Basco and Bruce Dacia with 15 seconds left. But Arden Guiyab split his charities off a Billy Bansil foul and the Crusaders escaped with the upset as Orly Alvarado’s desperation triple rimmed out at the buzzer.
It was actually the first-ever championship for Mayor Lawrence Cruz’s Crusaders in the country’s premier regional cagefest which was first dominated by Tribu Sugbu and then Ozamiz of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog.
Marlon Kalaw had a big hand in making this happen as he scattered 21 points, grabbed five rebounds and issued five assists after scoring 12 in the first game, which Iligan won, 88-83.
The Cotta Shrine dribblers refused to give up, however, and grabbed the lead, 63-61, going into the payoff period on the snipings of Dacia and Bansil.
Bong Marata, suiting up for his hometown Iligan after a stint with Pagadian last year, won MVP honors in the tournament supported by Sulpicio Lines, Spring Cooking Oil, Yahoo Phils., San Miguel Beer, Caltex, Sun Cellular, Firefly Lightings, Trans Asia Shipping Lines, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Basketball TV and Viva Prime Channel.
Basco, a former two-time MVP, Dacia, Iloilo’s Ruel Balgos and Iligan’s Harold Sta. Cruz joined Marata in the Mythical Team while Ian Saladaga, also of Iligan, was named Rookie of the Year.
“It’s a collective effort,” said Iligan team manager Freddie Siao. “It’s a big honor to win our first crown at the expense of the defending champions. We thank our supporters for keeping their faith and our team owner Mayor Lawrence [Cruz].”
The scores:
ILIGAN 81 -- Kalaw 21, Matias 12, Go 10, Mangahas 8, Saladaga 7, Cruz 7, Marata 7, Sta. Cruz 5, Guiyab 3, Cabili 1, Hardin 0.
OZAMIZ 79 -- Basco 18, Dacia 18, Cavan 16, Sampilo 10, Gatumbato 8, Nicdao 5, Bansil 3, Liangco 1, Delina 0, Alvarado 0, Caylan 0, Tiongson 0, Balares 0.
Quarters: 29-17, 52-39, 61-63, 81-79
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquire...ticle_id=82628