MVBA Christmas League 2007

[MVBA]

Title:

* * *The 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association Christmas League

Date:

* * *December 17 to 20, 2007 (Monday to Thursday)

Venue:

* * *New Cebu City Coliseum (Sanciangko Street, Cebu City)

Participants:

* * *GROUP A
* * *1.* M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City
* * *2.* Spring Cooking Oil-Malabon (guest team)
* * *3. Zamboanga City (guest team)

* * *GROUP B
* * *1.* Holcim MoneyGram-Misamis Oriental
* * *2.* Arthro Kontra Arthritis-Cebu
* * *3.* Pagadian City (guest team)

Tournament Format (eight games, four days):

* * *Elimination Round (six games, three days) – six teams divided into two three-team divisions to play a single-round robin within their respective division for three games each.* Top two teams in each division will advance to the semifinals with ties resolved using the latest FIBA rules as amended;

* * *Final Round (two games, one day) – The top team of Group A will meet the top team of Group B in a one-game playoff for the championship.* In the curtain-raiser, the second placers of both groups will play for Third Place;

* * *Officiating – will be provided by BAP-SBP-accredited referees, table officials and commissioners using the latest FIBA rules as amended.

Prizes:

* * *Champion -- PHP 100,000.00
* * *First Runner-up -- PHP 50,000.00
* * *Third Place -- PHP 30,000.00
* * *Fourth Place -- PHP 20,000.00

[MVBA]

M. LHUILLIER, ARTHRO BEAT UP GUEST TEAMS

* * *CEBU CITY – Newly-crowned Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Second Conference champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City and Arthro Kontra Arthritis-Cebu posted convincing wins against guest teams to begin play in the 2007 MVBA Christmas League Monday night at the New Cebu Coliseum.

* * *The Jewelers of Michel Lhuillier and Coach Raul Alcoseba started slow but immediately recovered to dispose of Spring Cooking Oil-Malabon, 93-77.* Arthro of sports patron Jonathan “Atan” Guardo and Coach Al Solis survived their shootout with Pagadian City, 104-91.

* * *With Spring leading in the second period, 26-19, the Jewelers went on a 15-0 run behind the eight points of Danny Aying to grab the lead for good, 34-26.* The Jewelers took the half, 43-35

* * *M. Lhuillier then unloaded another 15-0 run anchored on the eight markers of Ronald Capati to begin the third period.* Spring never recovered, allowing M. Lhuillier to post its biggest lead of the contest late in the third, 70-46.* M. Lhuillier then coasted to the win behind timely hits by Capati and Jayford Rodriguez to contain the rally attempts led by Don Villamin, Ariel de Castro and Ernani Epondulan.

* * *Capati topped M. Lhuillier with 18 points followed by Aying and Gerry Cavan with 11 each.* Villamin paced Spring with 18 while Epondulan chipped in 17 and De Castro 12.

* * *In the second game, Arthro started strong and led all the way.* Alex Cainglet scored all his seven points in Arthro’s 12-2 opening salvo.* Doroteo Almacin then caught fire to push Arthro further on top after one quarter, 32-16.

* * *Any player fielded by Coach Solis contributed as Arthro raced to its biggest lead, 53-29.* Pagadian managed to inch closer at halftime, 41-58.* Peter Naron then combined with Jan Philip Villaver to bring Pagadian to their closest, 55-63, and 6:02 left in the third.* From there, Almacin continued his hot scoring binge, scoring Arthro’s next 11 markers for a more comfortable 74-63 edge.

* * *Arthro simply allowed Naron to continue his scoring ways while Almacin and the rest of his mates matched every shot Pagadian could put up to notch the easy win and cap the first day of the tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and supported by ML Kwarta Padala, Hotel Fortuna, Nature’s Spring, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph, Yayoy’s Grill and Nike Basketball.

* * *Almacin matched his best effort from the recent conference of 28 points.* Six other Arthro players scored between nine and seven points to underscore their very balanced attack.* Naron finished with a game-high 37 points followed by Villaver with 19 and Perseus Sinco with 14.

* * *Drawing opening day byes were MVBA Second Conference Mindanao Champion Holcim MoneyGram-MisOr and Zamboanga City.

How They Scored:

* * *M. LHUILLIER-CEBU (93) – Capati 18, Aying 11, Cavan 11, Rodriguez 9, Gatumbato 7, Latonio 7, Enriquez 6, Bat-og 6, Padilla 5, Caputolan 4, Dacia 4, Basco 3, Piodo 2.

* * *SPRING-MALABON (77) – Villamin 18, Epondulan 17, De Castro 12, Tajonera 8, Reyes 7, Capobres 6, Balneg 5, Guiyab 2, Cuenca 2, Yambao 0.

* * *Period Scores: 13-16, 43-35, 70-49, 93-77.

* * *

* * *ARTHRO-CEBU (104) – Almacin 28, Gadiane 9, Gabas 9, Justiniani 8, France 8, Cainglet 7, Luga 7, Bucao 6, Garcia 6, Berame 5, Mercado 5, Ababon 4, Ursal 2.

* * *PAGADIAN (91) – Naron 37, Villaver 19, Sinco 14, Santiago 7, Quilo 5, Sierra 4, Ayuk 3, Saludsod 2, Espiritu 0, Unabia 0.

* * *Period Scores: 32-16, 58-41, 82-68, 104-91.

[MVBA]

M. LHUILLIER IN FINALS, BIG DEBUT BY MISOR

* * *CEBU CITY – M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City barged into the finals while Holcim MoneyGram-MisOr had a rousing debut as Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) teams continued to dominate their guest teams on the second day of the 2007 MVBA Christmas League at the New Cebu Coliseum Tuesday night.

* * *In the main game, MisOr used a strong fourth quarter to eliminate Pagadian City, 92-85.* In the opener, M. Lhuillier made short work of Zamboanga City, 112-87, for the first finals seat in the tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and made possible by ML Kwarta Padala, Hotel Fortuna, Nature’s Spring Water, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph, Yayoy’s Grill and Nike Basketball.

* * *With Pagadian threatening with a minute left, 81-83, guard Mark Moreño canned back-to-back baskets to give MisOr a six-point edge with 30 ticks remaining, 87-81.* After a basket by Mark Yee, Ramil Tagupa sank two free throws followed by a three-point play by Randy Sevilla to seal the win, 92-83.* A Yee basket at the buzzer settled the final count.

* * *Pagadian was leading after three periods, 69-65, thanks to the 12-point effort of center Mark Benitez in the third.* MisOr of Gov. Oscar Moreno and Coach Bong Abad used a 12-2 run to begin the fourth quarter behind Moreño, Tagupa and Sevilla to take the lead for good, 77-71.

* * *Rocky Sanchez led MisOr with 20 points while Moreño followed with 15 and Sevilla 13.* Pagadian dropped out of contention with its second straight loss despite the 22 markers of Benitez and 16 from Rick Quilo.

* * *Earlier, M. Lhuillier breezed to its second straight win and a spot in the finals.* The visiting Latinos managed to lead briefly early in the game, 7-2.* From there, it was an all-M. Lhuillier show as Marlon Basco, Bruce Dacia and Ronald Capati took turns at punishing the Latinos and grabbing the lead for good, 11-10.* Jayford Rodriguez then came off the bench to push the Jewelers further on top after the first period, 28-17

* * *Every player fielded by Coach Raul Alcoseba contributed as the lead ballooned further and further.* A triple by Gerry Cavan gave M. Lhuillier its first taste of a 25-point margin halfway through the final quarter, 92-67, a margin they maintained until the final buzzer.

* * *Former College of Saint Benilde Blazers Lou Gatumbato and Capati topped M. Lhuillier with 14 points each.* Cavan added 12 and Dacia 11.* Overall, nine M. Lhuillier players submitted nine points or more.* Orlando Daroya paced the Latinos with 26 followed by Michaelo Mendoza and Lawrence Briones with 14 apiece.

* * *MisOr wil next play opening day winner Arthro Kontra Arthritis-Cebu tonight for the second finals seat, assuring an all-MVBA finale tomorrow at the Coliseum.* The winner will receive 100,000 pesos while the runner-up gets 50,000 pesos.

How They Scored:

* * *M. LHUILLIER-CEBU (112) – Gatumbato 14, Capati 14, Cavan 12, Dacia 11, Rodriguez 10, Basco 9, Aying 9, Caputolan 9, Latonio 9, Enriquez 6, Piodo 6, Padilla 3.

* * *ZAMBOANGA (87) – Daroya 26, Mendoza 14, Briones 14, Ramirez 13, Alvarez 10, Navarro 5, Padrigao 5, Sebastian 0.

* * *Period Scores: 28-17, 50-37, 81-61, 112-87.

* * *

* * *HOLCIM MONEYGRAM-MISOR (92) – Sanchez 20, Moreño 15, Sevilla 13, Tagupa 11, Apepe 11, Nailon 11, Concha 6, Briones 5, Numeran 0, Jabagat 0.

* * *PAGADIAN (85) – Benitez 22, Quilo 16, Yee 12, Sierra 9, Saludsod 8, Naron 7, Villaver 5, Sinco 2, Santa Cruz 2, Pamaran 2, Santiago 0.

* * *Period Scores: 25-17, 48-42, 65-69, 92-85.

[MVBA]

MISOR GETS REMATCH WITH M. LHUILLIER

* * *CEBU CITY – Holcim MoneyGram-MisOr booked a rematch with Second Conference tormenter M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City for the 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Christmas League crown Wednesday at the New Cebu Coliseum.

* * *MisOr of league chairman Gov. Oscar Moreno and Coach Bong Abad went through anxious moments before beating Arthro Kontra Arthritis-Cebu of Jonathan “Atan” Guardo and Coach Al Solis, 93-88.

* * *Trailing by 10 after three quarters, 60-70, MisOr went on a 13-1 run powered by Ramil Tagupa and Rocky Sanchez to go ahead, 73-71.* Ronald Bucao then gave the lead back to Arthro for the last time via a triple, 74-73, and still 6:53 to play.

* * *Tagupa restored the lead to MisOr for good ten seconds later on two out of three free throws off an Ariel Mepaña foul, 75-74.* In the key point of the game, the Arthro bench was slapped a technical foul for excessive complaining.* Tagupa dutifully made both free throws and in the ensuing possession banged in a triple for an 80-74 MisOr lead and 6:12 to go.

* * *Mepaña and Alex Cainglet banged back-to-back triples to threaten for the last time, 82-85, and 1:47 remaining.* Sanchez cooled Arthro’s rush with an acrobatic drive in the next sequence, 87-82.

* * *Forced to resort to fouling to buy time, Arthro never recovered as Sanchez continued to wax hot from the field and the foul line to preserve the win.* The former National University Bulldog accounted for nine points in the final five minutes of the contest.

* * *MisOr actually started slow, trailing after the first period, 10-20.* Sanchez and Tagupa rallied MisOr but they allowed Arthro to score the last seven points of the first half for a 37-37 deadlock.* In the third quarter, Bernie Ursal, Doroteo Almacin and Mark Ababon took turns in pushing Arthro to a 70-60 advantage entering the final canto.

* * *Sanchez led MisOr in scoring for the second straight game with 26 points.* Tagupa followed with 22.* Almacin paced Arthro with 16 while twin towers Mepaña and Rino Berame had 14 markers each.

* * *In the first game, Spring Cooking Oil-Malabon clipped fellow guest team Zamboanga Latinos, 88-80, to earn to right to face Arthro for Third Place.* The Third Place game as well as the MisOr-M. Lhuillier finale will be played tonight at the Coliseum with the champion bringing home 100,000 pesos in the tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and supported by ML Kwarta Padala, Hotel Fortuna, Nature’s Spring Water, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph, Yayoy’s Grill and Nike Basketball.

* * *Ernani Epondulan exploded for 25 points to power Spring.* Mario Reyes added 13 followed by Danny Capobres and Don Villamin with 11 each.* The Latinos were led by Orlando Daroya with 18 and Junie Navarro with 15.* Former Southwestern University star Ronald Saracho chipped in 14.

How They Scored:

* * *SPRING-MALABON (8 – Epondulan 25, Reyes 13, Capobres 11, Villamin 11, De Castro 8, Yambao 6, Cuenca 5, Guiyab 4, Balneg 3, Tajonera 2.

* * *ZAMBOANGA (80) – Daroya 18, Navarro 15, Saracho 14, Briones 10, Ramirez 7, Sebastian 7, Alvarez 5, Padrigao 0, Botin 0, Mendoza 0.

* * *Period Scores: 21-23, 40-38, 68-57, 88-80.

* * *

* * *HOLCIM MONEYGRAM-MISOR (93) – Sanchez 26, Tagupa 22, Moreño 12, Nailon 9, Briones 8, Sevilla 6, Apepe 4, Jabagat 4, Numeran 2, Concha 0.

* * *ARTHRO-CEBU (8 – Almacin 16, Mepaña 14, Berame 14, Cainglet 12, Ababon 9, Bucao 5, Garcia 4, Gabas 2, Gadiane 0, Justiniani 0, Luga 0, Mercado 0.

* * *Period Scores: 10-20, 37-37, 60-70, 93-88.

[MVBA]

MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR M. LHUILLIER

* * *CEBU CITY – M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City added one more trophy to its already huge collection by grabbing the 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Christmas League at the expense of Holcim MoneyGram-MisOr, 101-97, Thursday at the New Cebu Coliseum.

* * *Nursing a precarious four-point edge entering the final quarter, 71-67, the Jewelers of Michel Lhuillier and Coach Raul Alcoseba turned to Bruce Dacia and big men Ronald Capati and Marlon Basco to erect an 11-point lead entering the last two minutes, 93-82.

* * *MisOr did not give up as Ramil Tagupa nailed back-to-back triples to close in by five markers with a minute left, 88-93.* However, back-to-back lay-ups by Basco and Dacia sealed the deal with 30 ticks remaining, 97-88.

* * *M. Lhuillier raced to a 17-5 lead to begin the ballgame behind Stephen Padilla.* MisOr of league chairman Gov. Oscar Moreno and Coach Bong Abad fought gallantly as Lowell Briones joined Tagupa, Frank Nailon and Rocky Sanchez in keeping M. Lhuillier in check.

* * *Briones gave MisOr its last taste of the lead via a triple midway in the third canto, 59-58.* M. Lhuillier’s Danny Aying reclaimed the lead for good on a triple in the ensuing play, 61-59.

* * *Woodrow Enriquez and Dacia led M. Lhuillier with 16 points each followed by Padilla with 15. Tagupa paced MisOr with 24, 14 coming in the final canto.* Briones added 22 and Sanchez 16.

* * *The well-played game was marred by a scuffle that led to the ejection of Jerome Numeran and Leo Bat-og with 22 seconds left in the third period.* Both bruisers got entangled as they tried to rebound a missed Sanchez free throw.* That left Coach Abad with only eight active players as the rest of the team was nursing various ailments.

* * *The Christmas League, a fitting end to the MVBA’s second season of play, was sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and made possible by ML Kwarta Padala, Nature’s Spring, Hotel Fortuna, Accel, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph, Yayoy’s Grill and Nike Basketball.

* * *BAP-SBP Cebu head Lorenzo Chao Sy and Boljoon Mayor Deogenes Derama awarded the trophies and cash prizes to the winners.* M. Lhuillier took home 100,000 pesos while MisOr settled for 50,000 pesos.

* * *Earlier, guest team Spring Cooking Oil-Malabon walked away with Third Place and the 30,000-peso prize after Commissioners Jose Murillo and Willy Generalao cancelled their game against Arthro Kontra Arthritis-Cebu after a post-game scuffle last Wednesday.

* * *After MisOr defeated Arthro to advance to the finals, assistant coach Jojo Lozano entered the referees’ room and attacked referee Raleigh Relator and threatened to kill all the referees. Relator was the official who called a technical foul on the Arthro bench for complaining that ultimately led to their 88-93 defeat.

* * *Relator and the other referees will press criminal, civil and administrative charges against Lozano, an elected barangay councilor in Labangon.* The referees immediately proceeded to the nearby police precinct to have the incident recorded on the blotter. Lozano also faces a permanent ban from the MVBA and other BAP-SBP-sanctioned activities because of Wednesday’s incident.

How They Scored:

* * *M. LHUILLIER-CEBU (101) – Enriquez 16, Dacia 16, Padilla 15, Capati 14, Basco 11, Cavan 11, Aying 8, Bat-og 5, Gatumbato 3, Latonio 2.

* * *HOLCIM MONEYGRAM-MISOR (94) – Tagupa 24, Briones 22, Sanchez 16, Nailon 15, Sevilla 6, Apepe 5, Moreño 4, Jabagat 2, Numeran 0.

* * *Period Scores: 29-25, 49-45, 71-67, 101-94.

[MVBA]

CONGRATULATIONS
M. LHUILLIER KWARTA PADALA-CEBU CITY JEWELERS
Champions

Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association
Christmas League 2007

LOU GATUMBATO * WOODROW ENRIQUEZ * MARLON PIODO
STEPHEN PADILLA * MARLON BASCO * DANILO AYING
RONALD CAPATI * JERRY CAVAN * ALANO CAPUTOLAN
JAYFORD RODRIGUEZ * JETT LATONIO * LEO BAT-OG
BRUCE DACIA

HEAD COACH RAUL "YAYOY" ALCOSEBA

COACH ALFREDO ENRIQUEZ * COACH LAWRENCE MERCED * COACH JESUS RAMIREZ
COACH LOU REGIDOR * COACH MICHAEL REYES * COACH RAMON ALCOSEBA

TEAM OWNER MICHEL LHUILLIER