Monday, December 11, 2006 Sanchez, Numeran shine in Game 1 Misor triumph
HOLCIM Pryce Pharma-MisOr scored a resounding win over the MP Warriors-GenSan, 76-65, in Game One of the Mindanao Division Finals of the ML Kwarta Padala Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association Second Conference Friday (Dec. 8) at the Xavier University Gym.
With his starters struggling early allowing the Warriors of boxing idol Manny Pacquiao to take the first period, 19-14, MisOr Coach Rex Salvaña inserted reserves Mark Apepe and Rocky Sanchez in the second period and the duo provided the needed boost to turn the game in their favor.
Apepe sank back-to-back triples to give MisOr the lead for good, 26-21, while Sanchez energized the team and the crowd with his drives to the basket en route to a 32-28 lead at the break.
Sanchez then added two triples in the third canto while Jerome Numeran scored on a pair of put-backs to maintain their distance.
The Warriors finally collapsed in the fourth period, greatly due to poor shooting as the wards of Coach Ramon Pido missed nine of their 14 attempts.
Gilbert Demape scored six straight MisOr points before Numeran put the finishing touches with seven markers of his own, including a three-point play that gave MisOr its biggest lead of the game entering the final three minutes, 68-58.
Sanchez, a former National University Bulldog, finished with 16 points, leading the charge for the team of MVBA Chairman Gov. Oscar S. Moreno.
Numeran submitted 13 points. Donald Tadena paced the Warriors with 17 points, 12 coming in the third quarter, followed by Apol Coronado with 13.
MisOr can book a spot in the MVBA Finals today when they travel to the South Cotabato Gym and Cultural Center today (Dec. 10) for Game Two of the best-of-three series backed by ML Kwarta Padala, Cokaliong Shipping Lines, Nature's Spring Drinking Water, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph and Nike Basketball.
The second game of the Visayas Division Finals was being played at press time last night at the Lapu-Lapu City Gym between Cebu Landmaster-Mantawi of Joe Soberano and Coach Jun Tan and First Conference Champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu of Michel Lhuillier and Coach Raul Alcoseba.
The second-ranked Landmaster shocked the top-ranked M. Lhuillier in Game One, 84-82, last Dec. 7 at the New Cebu City Coliseum and is in the position to score a big upset.
