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Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Mantawi nails first win
By Rommel C. Manlosa
Sun.Star Staff Reporter
Lanky forward Joseph Guangco helped the Mantawi Traders end a two-game slide with a scary 79-71 win over the visiting Toyota-Iloilo Warriors in the Mindanao-Visayas Basketball Association First Conference at the Mandaue City Sports Complex Monday night.
Today, the Warriors will end their three-game Cebu swing when they visit the Cebu Landmasters-Toledo at the MA Barba Sports Complex in Toledo City. The Warriors were playing division leader ML Kwarta Padala-Cebu City at the Cebu Coliseum at press time.
Trailing after three quarters by as many as 11 points, coach Eddie Ybañez summoned Guangco from the bench, as the former Cebu Institute of Technology Wildcat exploded to help the Traders cut down the lead to just three, 42-45, at halftime.
The Warriors again began to pull away as they hit their mark almost from all angles in the third. But Ybañez still had an ace up his sleeve, the high-leaping Morsie Akad, who did not see action in the first two quarters.
Akad scored four points and had some defensive gems that put the Traders within striking distance. Doroteo Almacin then hit the first of his two triples to make it 54-55 before Iloilo closed the third period with a 58-54 lead on a triple.
Rested
Refreshed and well rested, Guangco cashed in on a lay-up and a triple as the Traders went on top for the first time, 59-58, and never let go with the help of team skipper Leodi Garcia and 6-foot-7 center Rino Berami, who played his usual A-game despite a tentative start.
Garcia was forced to play the power forward position to put a stop to the explosive night of the wide-bodied Paul Poral, while Guangco limited the high-scoring game of Eldrin Senierez, who was the main reason of Iloilo’s excellent game in the first three quarters.
Guangco’s five straight points led a 14-4 Mantawi run that resulted to the third defeat of the Warriors. Despite the technical foul slapped on point guard JR Pepito and the early exit of starting guard Khim Calo, the Traders did not let go of the lead.
Guangco topped the Traders with 21 points, while Berami scored 15, 10 of which in the final period.
Senierez scored a game-high 27 points, while Poral added 20 for the Toyota-Iloilo Warriors.
Mantawi (79) – Guangco 21, Berame 15, Sevilla 10, Almacin 8, Garcia 7, Calo 7, Pepito 5, Akad 4, Ducay 2, Lozano 0, Arellano 0. Toyota-Iloilo (71) – Senierez 27, Poral 20, Sencil 7, Bautista 6, Sina-on 5, Sinco 4, Antenor Cruz 2, Leonida 0, Unarce 0. Quarters: 15-20; 42-45; 54-58; 79-71. (RCM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (April 19, 2006 issue)
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