UNDERDOG Team Romuls and the vast improved Team Butron took a different routes in hurdling the semis round to arrange a title showdown in the 3rd President's Cup Green CdeO Eagles basketball tournament at the Nazareth gym in Cagayan de Oro City.
Team Romuls, despite playing without a legitimate center, edged the top-seeded Team Pagulong, 77-75, while Team Butron crushed the heftier but already exhausted Team Doc Somido, 71-57 on Friday's semifinal matches.
"Lipay na kaayo 'mi nga nakaabot sa finals kay gansi sa tapad peldihonon gyod 'mi sa semis naka-ilok lang sa endgame," said Pinggoy Castro, the backcourt partner of team skipper Ulysses Romulo.
Without a big man to match up with Rex Armojallas in the middle, Team Romuls relied again on the bull-strong guard Jessie Lentorio and streak-shooting forward Bonbon Macaliag to erase a twin-digit deficit late in the fourth quarter.
From 33 points in quarterfinals victory, Lentorio bulldozed his way to scoring 35 in leading Team Romuls' thrilling escape fortified by Macaliag's 21 markers.
"Abi nimo'g ordinary basketball enthusiast lang kay manager baya sa RTMI bus company (Rural Transit Mindanao Inc.) pero saligando gihapon," one basketball referee said of the MVP candidate Lentorio.
And there was luck delivered again by Team Romuls' so-called "lucky charm" in lanky slotman Eleazar "Sho" Estenzo.
Like what he did in the team's come-from-behind win during the elimination round, Estenzo scored his only basket via his trademark reversed layup from the left corner that hit Team Pagulong like a dagger to the heart.
At least five players -- Patriana (16), Cabriana (12), Armojallas (11), Arocha (11), Caballero (10) -- scored in double figures for Team Pagulong's heart-breaking loss.
Team Doc Somido, fronted by the tandem of bulky centers Loloy Gelogo and Tamondong, overpowered earlier the Eagles Aspirants, 78-57 in the deciding Game 2 of their knockout duel. But they could not progress for playing two crucial games in one night against the determined forces of Team Butron.
The well-rested Team Butron dribblers managed to limit Gelogo and Tamondong to only 4 and 2 points each, while almost shutting down Team Somido's backcourt play with only Wyndel Relevo was able to come up with twin-digit numbers at 19.
"Nahago na sila sa Team Aspirants mao nga among gipaspas ang dula on both ends of the floor. Nangigo sab ang tres ni Kuya Samboy pero iyang depensa ang dako kaayong tabang," said Team Butron pointguard Vines Buot.
Jerry Gomez paced Team Butron with 15 points, while Samboy Uy and Boning Biongcog added 12 and 10 markers apiece.