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Friday, August 25, 2006
Veterans’ poise lifts North Cotabato
Games today:
(Cebu Coliseum)
6 p.m.—M. Lhuillier vs.
North Cotabato
The poise of ex-pros Henry “Tata” Fernandez and Tony Boy Espinosa buoyed North Cotabato Braves to a 72-70 win over the highly favored TeleTech Titans that gave them the second spot to the knockout championship in the MVBA Pre-Season Invitational Tournament at the Cebu Coliseum yesterday.
The game would have gone into overtime, if not for the quick hands of Espinosa, who made the last play possible.
Espinosa made an ill-advised triple in the final four seconds, which fell short off the target, but he quickly stripped the ball off Ariel Capus’ grip and dished it to the wide-open Fernandez at the right flank for the winning basket.
It was a tough tough contest, with the taller Titans keeping the Braves behind three quarters.
Fomer UP Maoron Axel Doruelo waxed hot for the Titans in the third, but Teletech could not pull away for good, as ex-UE Warrior Bogart Raymundo kept the game close by scoring seven of North Cotabato's 16 points.
North Cotabato's first tast of the lead was at 57-54, but the Titans were quick enough to regain the lead with Capus scoring six straight points that gave TeleTech a 61-59 lead.
The Titans got their last taste at the driver's seat on Mel Latoreno and Capuz back-to-back baskets for a 70-68 lead at the final 90 seconds of the game.
However, Jay Cabañog tied the game at 70-all by sinking two crucial free-throws at the 48 seconds mark.
Raymundo topscored for North Cotabato with 13 points, while Capus and Doruelo led the losing Titans with 18 and 15 points, respectively.
In the second game, M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City Jewelers dumped GenSan-MP Warriors 81-62 last night.
A defeat of the Jewelers, though, wouldn’t have any bearing on its march to the championship game today.
North Cotabato (72) – Raymundo 13, Fernandez 9, Cureg 8, Cabañog 8, Jawod 6, Mañalac 4, Espinosa 3, Clar 3, Etrata 2, Martinez 2, Tamayo 2, Tanigue 2. TeleTech (70) – Capus 18, Doruelo 15, Latoreno 10, Bughao 8, Mendoza 7, Villamin 5, Javier 4. (RCM)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (August 25, 2006 issue)
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