Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Drops out -of -town game against Ozamiz, 78-91
The Mantawi Sparkling Knights absorbed a 78-91 defeat against home team Ozamiz Cotta in the 2005 Panasonic-NBC National Championship at the Gov. Angel Medina Sr. Gym Monday night.
The victory allowed the Cotta to grab the leadership in the hotly contested Southern Conference with a 7-2 win-loss slate, three games ahead of its victim and one game over defending champion Tribu Sugbu.
The Hapee/Dewfoam-backed Knights could have given the host team a tough game as Ozamiz’s ace slotman Christian Nicdao played limited minutes due to fever. But the Knights withered slowly against the highly physical match that drew three technical fouls and the ejection of Ozamiz forward Rulof Lianco.
Former UE Red Warrior Philip Butel came off the bench to provide quality minutes, scoring eight points and grabbing seven rebounds all in the second quarter, while Billy Bansil scattered 12 of his team-high 20 points to lead the Cotta’s charge in the second half.
Break away
Ozamiz hung on to a three-point lead, 44-41, when it started to break the game wide open at the onset of the third quarter with a 16-8 run.
Mario Basco came in for the ejected Liangco and scored four straight points to give Ozamiz a 12-point bubble, 64-52, midway through the third period.
Ardy Larong and Christopher Carretas rallied Mantawi, which missed 24 of a season-high 44 free-throw attempts, within nine, 74-65, to start the payoff canto, but that proved to be the closest they could muster as Ozamiz answered with a 14-5 bomb to post its biggest lead, 86-70, with only 3:30 left.
Bansil added eight rebounds and two steals to lead Ozamiz, which shot an awesome 58 percent (36-of-62) from the field, as all but two of his teammates barged into the scoring column.
Foul out
Larong’s all-around game went for naught as he fouled out with 2:33 left in the final quarter. He finished with a game-high 22 points on top of 11 rebounds, four assists and four steals, while Ronald Capati added 20 points and seven boards.
Mantawi (4-3) slipped to third place behind defending champion Tribu Sugbu (6-2) and followed by Valencia Golden Harvest (3-4) and Iligan Crusaders (3-4), CDO Stars (1-3), Iloilo Warriors (1-5) and the Zanorte Hornbills (0-7).
Ozamiz (91) – Bansil 20, Sampilo 13, Butel 8, Alberto 8, Ilanga 8, Nicdao 6, Cabigkis 6, Liangco 6, Alvarado 5, Basco 5, Libatog 2, Conmigo 2, Aquino 2. Mantawi (78) – Larong 22, Capati 20, Moreño 11, Huelar 8, France 4, Limbo 4, Tundag 3, Gloria 2, Bajenting 2, Carretas 2. Quarterscores: 24-21; 44-41; 72-60; 91-78. (RCM)
(July 13, 2005 issue)
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