Thursday, August 28, 2008
Metrobank plays BPI for title
By Charles Raymond A. Maxey
METROBANK and Bank of Philippine Islands (BPI) emerged winners in their respective semifinal matches Saturday to move into the finals of the Bankers Cup 2008 basketball tournament at the Evergold Recreation Center.
Metrobank, the league's defending champion, repulsed hard fighting Banco de Oro, 78-74, behind the blazing guns of Toto Solis.
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BPI used a blistering attack to crush Plantersbank, 99-69, in the other semifinal encounter and earn the right to play Metrobank for the crown.
This will be the second straight year Metrobank and BPI will play for the championship, which is expected to be an exciting matchup. BDO and Plantersbank will play for third place.
Metrobank got 20 points from Solis, but it was the team's defense against Ronald Soriano that spelled the difference in the end.
Soriano, who is averaging 25 points for BDO, managed only five points in the critical game. Egay Dalisay and Nilo Temporal led BDO with 24 and 20 points, respectively.
Dwight Bantan and PJ Samson of One Network Bank led the offensive thrust of BPI with their combined 53 points, and Toti Rubi came up with 15 assists in a sensational performance that broke the back of the Plansterbank dribblers.
The scores:
First game
METROBANK 78 -- Solis 20, Te Eng Fo 16, Solidum 11, Paz 10, Gabila 9, Pena 4, Pascual 3, Locsin 2, Migrino 2, Du 1, Calubayan 0, Morales 0, Macatol 0, Lim 0, Mejia 0.
BDO 74 -- Dalisay 24, Temporal 20, Barrera 10, Real 8, Soriano 5, Balaoro 5, Cabug-os 2, Li 2, Bobot 0, Amores 0, Abalos 0, Dolleson 0.
Second game
BPI 99 -- Bantan 29, Samson 24, Uy 9, Guilaran 9, Cruz 6, Faustino 6, Noriega 6, Velasquez 6, Isla 2, Maningo 2, Cervantes 2, Rubi 0, Calvo 0.
Plantersbank 69 -- Buenaventura 23, Villanueva 18, Movilla 8, Machan 5, Sipalay 4, Recta 4, Corpuz 4, Leong 3, Hao 0, Lozano 0, Samson 0.
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Dumaguete. For Bisaya stories from Davao. Click here. (August 28, 2008 issue)
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