Pharex terminates Hotel Fortuna, faces M. Lhuillier in MVBA Sinulog Cup semis

The visiting Pharex Medics held a virtual hoop clinic in annihilating the lackadaisical Hotel Fortuna-Boljoon, 107-79, to advance into the crossover semifinals of the 2008 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Sinulog Cup at the Cebu Coliseum.

Pharex, however, faces an uphill battle as it takes on next the grandslam-seeking M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu City Jewelers in a knockout match today for a championship berth.

Gametime is set at 4:30 pm, right before the other semifinal showdown pitting the Fifth Avenue Telecom Giants against the winner of the Toyota-Montaña duel, which was still being completed as of this writing last night.

The only drama in the rather boring match was the near fistfight between Pharex’s James Alfad and Hotel Fortuna’s Norman Randy Sevilla with 4:53 left in the second period.

A heated altercation ensued after Alfad sustained a minor cut on his head inflicted by Sevilla’s errant elbow. Proverbial pacifists succeeded in putting the situation under control, but Alfad and Sevilla were both thrown out of the game.

Just when everybody thought that the fire had already been extinguished, Alfad rushed to the dugout of Hotel Fortuna to confront Sevilla but cooler heads again prevailed.

Alfad exited with 10 points, all in the first quarter that buoyed Pharez to a sizzling 26-16. The lead balloned to as much as 20 points, 65-45, on Sean Co’s consecutive baskets with 4:35 remaining in the third canto.

Hotel Fortuna-Boljoon, manned the former and present crop of seven-time CESAFI champion University of the Visayas (UV) Green Lancers, woke up from deep offensive slumber but couldn’t  trim the deficit down to a single digit.

The best Hotel Fortuna-Boljoon of BAP-SBP Cebu Province director Lorenzo “Chao” Sy and Mayor Deogenes “Wargong” Derama could muster was to threaten at 64-74 with just a minute gone by in the final quarter.

Dondon Villamin, Jeff de Guzman, Richard Ian Saladaga and Rey Matias then presided over a fierce 13-0 attack to practicall seal Pharez’s victory, 87-64, with six minutes remaining.

Pharex posted its biggest advantage at 33 points, 107-74, on Saladaga’s triple with 42 second left to play. Hotel Fortuna’s Rino Berami sank a 3-pointer and then Resty Getubig converted a buzzer-beating twinner to settle the final tally.

Saladaga, formerly of Cebu Landmaster, topscored with 20 points even as six players cashed in twin figures underscoring Pharex’s balanced offensive. Matias had 13 points, Jay-R Gerilla and Co scored 12 apiece followed by De Guzman with 11. Oreta chipped in 10.

Getubig paced Hotel Fortuna-Boljoon with 21 points followed by Gregory Fuentes-Slaughter and Berame with 14 and 12 markers, respectively.

The scores

Pharex (107) - Saladaga 20, Matias 13, Gerilla 12, De Guzman 12, De Guzman 11, Alfad 10, Oreta 10, Bulawan 9, Villamin 7,  Bughao 3

Hotel Fortuna-Boljoon (79) - Getubig 21, Slaughter 14, Berame 12, Lañete 9, Sevilla 6, Diputado 5, Lao 4, Paglinawan 2, Dennison 2, Nicanor 2, Sendrijas 2

Quarterscores:26-16, 47-35, 74-61, 107-79.