Monday, May 28, 2007 Good Shepherd retains title in ICBL-mayor's cup
IT'S two in a row for Good Shepherd Church. Good Shepherd repulsed the challenge of Beatitudes Christian Fellowship, 92-82, Saturday to bag its second straight crown in the Inter-Church Basketball League (ICBL) Mayor's Cup at the Sky Gym of Gaisano Citimall.
Good Shepherd ended the best-of-three series of the 15th Conference at 2-0 after taking the championship opener last week.
The Good Shepherd dribblers, managed by Lawyer Lucio Sarona and mentored by Rolando Sancho, were aided by two turnovers by Beatitudes in the final minute to take control of the game.
Edwin Abillero capped the fierce battle down the stretch with two huge triples to give Good Shepherd the victory.
Abellero scored 24 points in the title-clinching win and was later named Most Valuable Player (MVP), his second in the league.
Beatitudes pounded the Good Shepherd defense with a variation of inside and outside attacks to pad take a 15-point lead in the third quarter. Beatitudes jumped to a 13-point lead, 42-29, at the end of the first quarter.
But Good Shepherd refused to crumble and instead fought back with Abillero at the firing end to seize control in the final canto.
It was a sorry loss for the ICBL-Cebu Champions Beatitudes Christian Fellowship.
Bigman Ryan Lomutos topscored for the losing team with 22 points. "Talagang mahirap talunin ang Beatitudes kasi malalaki sila at champion team din yan sa Cebu pero sabi ko sa mga bata focus lang tayo at huwag bumigay (It's really hard to beat Beatitudes because of its big men and the team was also a champion in Cebu, but I told my players to stay focus and never lost control of the game)," Sancho said.
"Praise the Lord, we beat them. This is really a sweet victory for us, being our second title in two consecutive conferences. I am really proud of our boys," he added.
In an earlier game, the TVG Realty sponsored-River Of God Church of Pastor Blair Cuares dumped the Pastor Wilfredo R. Calisang managed-Temple Of Praise Christian Fellowship Team A, 101-83, to grab third place.
Michael Puerto top scored with 26 points for River of God. ICBL director Pastor Gary Visitacion thanked all the participating teams and the awardees after personally awarding the trophies together with the ICBL committee.
The ICBL Mayor's Cup 15th Conference is a ministry of Philippine Challenge Inc. and sanctioned by Regional Director Regino Cua of the Basketball Association of the Philippine/Samahang Baskitbolista ng Pilipinas.
