Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Games start today; Niños play host
IT’S the turn of the M. Lhuillier-Cebu Niños to host the pocket tournament that could shoot them back to the leadership in the 2008 Liga Pilipinas Championships tour elimination at the Cebu Coliseum starting at 4 p.m.
Cebu hosting marks the first month of the new community-based league that has accumulated great interest to the basketball fanatics, which opened its inaugural tour elimination in Ilocos Sur and Misamis Oriental, respectively.
And in its turn to host the tour, Cebu is gunning for its third leg titles after winning the past two in a row.
Cebu was dislodged from the top after the Pagadian Explorers won the Zamboanga leg last Sunday.
The Niños are currently in the second place with 24 points. They need at least six points to regain the No.1 slot.
Maximum
However, Cebu could earn a mazimum of 13 points in this leg—that would put them back to the top and the assurance for an automatic seat to the quarterfinals.
However, Cebu will have to battle against the tough visitors and one of the league’s early favorite, the Pampanga Buddies.
The Niños first assignment today is the Trace Laguna Stallions at 6 p.m. following the Pampanga Buddies vs. Zamboanga Amores game at 4 p.m.
Currently, Cebu is in the second place while the Buddies are in the fourth with 20 points.
The Niños won its first leg title in Ilocos Sur last June 22 and won its second in Week 3 in Pagadian City last July 6.
Records
Ironically, for the past three tournaments in the south—the home teams failed to win the title in front of the home crowd.
Pagadian pulled its first leg title in Cagayan de Oro, the home team of the MisOr Meteors, the Niños defeated the Explorers at home and Pagadian won the Zamboanga leg.
This time, it’s the Niños turn to break that trend but they need to be work extra efforts to pull its third title at home.
The semifinal and finals of the Cebu leg will be held in Danao Civic Center in Danao City on Saturday and Sunday.
Up north, the Quezon Red Oilers will host the Baguio Victory, Ilocos Sur Bravehearts and the MisOr Meteors at the Quezon Convention Center. (RCM)
