Thursday, October 04, 2007 Misor awaits Landmaster on Monday's MVBA match
DIGOS CITY -- Two teams at the top of their divisions clash Thursday as Visayas Division pacesetter Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue plays Mindanao's top team MP Warriors-GenSan tonight at the Digos City Stadium as the 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Second Conference hits high gear.
Over at the New Cebu Coliseum, Arthro Kontra Arthritis returns to action after a 10-day vacation by tackling defending champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City also at 6 p.m.
The Landmaster quintet of Joe Soberano and Mayor Jonas Cortes will begin their three-game swing of Mindanao.
Coach Jun Tan steered the team to a 2-1 win-loss card in its first three games and hope to rack up more wins to stay on top of the Visayas Division.
Both teams clashed in the league's opening day last September 16 in Mandaue City wherein Landmaster escaped with an 80-78 victory.
Warrior Apol Coronado missed all his three free throws off an Ian Saladaga foul with 1.8 seconds left that could have stolen the win, giving the community-based league sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and supported by ML Kwarta Padala, Sulpico Lines, Nature's Spring Water, Cokaliong Shipping, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph and Nike Basketball a fitting start.
Expected to carry the brunt of Mandaue's attack are team scoring co-leaders Mike Manigo and Mark Yee, who both average 14.3 points a game.
Also seen to play key roles are Saladaga, Bong Marata, Christian Nicdao and the exciting Jimwell Torion.
The Warriors have an even 2-2 card and has relied heavily on big men Rolly Menor and Erian Daja.
Coach Ramon Pido is hoping that his other players, particularly Louie Medalla, Coronado, Don Tadena and Jeffy Locsin breakout of their personal slumps and register the big numbers they had last season.
On Friday, Landmaster will continue their Mindanao tour when they visit the Goldstar Hardware-backed Duterte Agilas-Davao at the Almendras Gym. After that, they travel to Cagayan de Oro to face Holcim Pryce Pharma-MisOr on Monday (October 7) at the Xavier University Gym.
Arthro of sports patron Jonathan Guardo and Coach Al Solis won their last game, 93-81, against Landmaster last September 24.
Coach Solis will bank to guards Alex Cainglet, Ronald Bucao and Mark Ababon as they battle M. Lhuillier's powerhouse roster.
The Jewelers went through a tiring Mindanao swing last weekend where they won two of three games.
Bruce Dacia was named MVBA Player of the Week after averaging 16.0 points a contest during that swing that also saw Coach Raul "Yayoy" Alcoseba draw sterling plays from big men Marlon Basco and Ron Capati and Woodrow Enriquez and Danny Aying.
