Mandaue, Cebu face off in Liga Super Leg

NATIONAL defending champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños and neighbor Mandaue-RDAK/Cebu Landmasters will open the hostilities of the Liga Pilipinas Conference 5 Super Leg, which will start this Tuesday at the Xavier University Gym in Cagayan de Oro City.

The top-seeded Landmasters and the number three Niños will face each other at 4:30 p.m., while host and number two finisher Misamis Oriental Meteors will play the number five Gen. Santos City-MP Warriors in the main game at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s going to be an all-out battle for us. Of course, we are looking to keep our title but it would be tougher since all the other teams have been fortifying their squads because this is the ultimate stage,” said Cebu head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba.

Prior to their final leg assignment, the Niños hired four players--Allein Maliksi, Rogermar Menor, Mark Jeffries and Marvin Hayes.

But their presence failed to help the Niños as they finished the MisOr leg as the second-best team behind the host.

Alcoseba was forced to reactivate the injured Jayford Rodriguez after Menor was resigned by his mother team Meralco Bolts in the PBA last week.

On the other hand, the Landmasters added PBL 2010 PG Flex-Erase Placenta Cup MVP Vic Manuel to fortify their frontcourt and he has proven to be a worthy addition with the way he played against the Smart Gilas in last Thursday’s exhibition game.

Coach Jun Tan, the winner of three Liga Pilipinas leg titles, is optimistic of his chances to win the Super Leg.

“Sa akong tan-aw, we have chances to win the title. But our worry is when the hometown crowd will start to dictate the momentum of the game, they might influence the judgment of the referees,” Tan said.

Both teams leave Cebu for Cagayan de Oro on Monday.

Cebu will test the strength of the home team Meteors on Thursday following the formal opening ceremony, while Mandaue will face MisOr on Saturday.