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Saturday, June 04, 2005
Ozamis battles Iligan today
ACTION heats up in the 2005 Panasonic-NBC national championships, as exciting games play out simultaneously in Luzon and Mindanao.
The Spring Cooking Oil-backed Laguna Spring hopes to bounce back from their stinging opening-day loss as they lock horns with the defending northern division champions Forward Taguig of Mayor Freddie Tinga 6 p.m. Saturday at the C.P. Tinga gym.
Down south, expansion team Iligan Crusaders will visit cross-town rival Ozamiz Cotta in the Angel Medina Sr. gym for the other 6pm encounter.
Both teams are coming off big wins over the weekend. The Crusaders of Mayor Lawrence Cruz and supported by Councilor Varf Belmonte, Lian Hong Company, Krisland Commercial Corporation and the Upper Pool Water Refilling Station blasted the Cagayan de Oro Stars, 79-63, in the southern division opening last Saturday while the Cotta Shrine team of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog went through a nail-biting 77-74 win over Valencia Golden Harvest last Sunday.
The Crusaders will once again bank on the awesome duo of ex-JRU gunner Marco Fajardo and former PCU playmaker Joseph Roque, who accounted for 35 points in their debut win. Mark Kong, who bullied his way to a respectable 11 points and seven rebound-performance against PBA veteran Dong Polistico and MBA veteran Nick Jabagat, will face a more solid frontline of Ozamiz this time.
The up-and-coming former Adamson Falcon center will have his hands full against ex-pro Christian Nicdao, who had a monster double-double of 15 and 22 boards on top of four blocks, same number of steals and an assist against Valencia.
Both teams have recruited reinforcements just in time for their explosive clash this afternoon. The Crusaders flew in 6-foot-5 slotman Ephraim Torio while Ozamiz called back the services of lanky center Marlon Basco to help Nicdao and Billy Bansil in the shaded lane.
The Spring cagers of NBC president Nathaniel "Tac" and Laguna Gov. Teresita "Ningning" Lazaro also hopes to get back at Danny Gavieres-mentored Taguig, who swept them in the northern division finals last season.
Laguna coach Vic "Rambo" Sanchez will have to squeeze more efforts from last season's All-Star MVP Sonny Manucat, Robin Mendoza, Mar Reyes, Rodel Manuel and his solid frontline composed of Rodel Mallari, Chris Corbin and Val Domingo against the reigning 2004 runner-ups.
"We collapsed at the end the last time so I told the veterans to step up and provide the leadership. We're definitely going all-out for our first win," Sanchez, who has seven rookies in his team, said.
Taguig, on the other hand, will parade an almost intact line-up saved for Ogie Gumatay, who is on the reserved list of Sta. Lucia Realty.
Taguig added ex-Iloilo Warriors Steve Marucot and Rhagnee Sinco, ex-Batangas 29ers Ariel de Castro and Jay Lapinid, former FEU gunner James Zablan and San Sebastian Stags' wily playmaker Mike Gonzales to their formidable line-up of last season's Mythical Team member Jimmy Boy Robillos, Ricky Ricafuente, Leo Vilar, Rino Magsalin, Bernard de Guia, Ton Lustetica, Paul Reguera, Bhong Magsambol and Jerome Reyes.
Games in the BAP-sanctioned tournament supported by Panasonic, Accel, Molten, Sulpicio Lines, Cebu Pacific, Philtranco, Sunbolt Sports Drink, Nature's Spring, Spring Cooking Oil, Far Eastern Insurance, Skygo Motorcycles, Sirlitz Solutions Provider, Cebuana Lhuillier, Prime Channel, Ping-Ping Lechon, partner-hotels Bayview Park and Holiday-Plaza Cebu is seen every Sunday 4pm at the government-owned National Broadcasting Network and cable's Prime Channel 2pm and 8:30 pm daily.
(June 4, 2005 issue)
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