Tribu Sugbu, Ozamiz start South final duel

The defending national champion Skygo/Sirlitz-backed Tribu Sugbu will rekindle its old rivarly with Ozamiz Cotta at the start of their best-of-three Southern Conference finals in the 2005 Panasonic-NBC National Championship at 8:00 tonight at the Minglanilla Sports Center.

The undermanned Cebuanos of businessmen Lito Gillamac and Mario King will welcome the return of Jojo Tangkay and JR "Baby Shaq" Quiñahan to firm up their defense of the title they also won at the expense of Ozamiz in the walkout-marred Southern finals last season.

But this time around, the Cotta Shrine of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog holds the homecourt edge for topping classification round with a 10-3 card, losing only once at their homecourt to the newly-crowned Northern champs Far Eastern Insurance-backed Cavite.

Tribu Sugbu, which suffered back-to-back losses that shattered their league-record 16-0 at home, finished second in the classification round with an 8-5 slate. The Tribesmen lost Neil Rañeses to Coca-Cola in the pro league midway through the season and gunners Lowell Briones and Jessie Binongo, who seek greener pasture in Dubai just before the playoffs started.

However, coach Al Solis, whose coaching philosophy allowed his unheralded players to underachieve, is unfazed with the daunting task of facing the formidable Ozamiz Cotta.

"If you have observed, I don't have a regular starting five and all my players play not lower than 10 minutes.

I believe in my players' talents and their big hearts have brought us back here in the finals. We'll try to bank again on this against Ozamiz," Solis said.

Only Tangkay, Ronald Bucao, Marvin Mercado and Doroteo Almacin are last year's holdovers, while prolific gunner but injury-stricken Tangkay has yet to play this season.

Boyet Guerrero and Chris Ferraren will be playing against their former team as the duo played key roles in Tribu Sugbu's remarkable season.

Leading Ozamiz will be MVP candidate Christian Nicdao, Billy Bansil, Rulof Liangco, Elbert Albrerto and holdovers Melfred Sampilo, Dennis Cabigkis, Milver Libatog and Orly Alvarado.

One thing going against Ozamiz is the lack of steady backcourt general since last season's MVP Egay Echavez has moved up to Ginebra in the pro league. "We'll try to steal game one and wrap the series at home," Ozamiz cach Albert Calvo said.

Ozamiz lost Game 1 on the road but bounced back big at home to eliminate the Iligan Crusaders in their best-of-three semis, while Tribu Sugbu swept the Valencia Golden Harvest in the other semis duel. Last season, with the likes of Alfie Grijaldo, Chico Lanete, Marlon Piodo, Jeff Sanders, Ruben dela Rosa and Tangkay, Tribu Sugbu won the southern title in a grueling three-game series over Ozamiz on their way to winning the maiden NBC title against Forward Taguig in the national finals.

Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will shift to Ozamiz on Friday and Saturday. The winner of the series will battle Cavite in the national finals. (NBC Media Bureau with GGM)