Niños thrash Stallions to take 2-0 series lead

The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-backed Cebu Niños of sports patron Michel J. Lhuillier and coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba reaffirmed their mastery over the Trace-Laguna Stallions, this time in dominating fashion as they hacked out a 99-73 triumph to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-five Liga Pilipinas quarterfinals last night at the Cebu Coliseum.

The Niños, who are now 4-0 against the Stallions in the inaugural season of the country’s newest community-based league, shoot for a semifinal berth via three-game sweep as the series shifts to Laguna on August 27. Game 4, if necessary, will be played the following day.

All 13 players fielded in by Cebu scored led by bull-strong center Ron Capati with 17 points. Marlon Basco and Bruce Dacia each had 12 markers, while Rino Berame donated 10 for the Niños, who shot 31-of-64 from the field and went 7-of-21 from the 3-point land in an almost impeccable outside shooting performance.

Laguna’s Jerwin Gaco actually broke the ice of the match but it was their lone bright spot as Berame and Jayford Rodriguez conspired in a searing 10-0 run to put the Niños on top for good.

The Stallions threatened for the first and last time at 13-16 as Capati banked eight points in an 11-1 rally that handed the Niños a 27-14 edge after the first 10 minutes of play.

Richard Ian Salada and Dacia drilled in back-to-back triples as Cebu opened the second period with a 11-0 bang to blow the game wide open, 38-14. 

 The Niños, who battered the Stallions with a variation of inside and outside attacks, closed the first half with a 26-point advantage, 56-30.

From that point on, the Niños just frolicked on the offensive end, posting their biggest lead of 31 points, 91-60, on a basket by Rodriguez midway in the final quarter.

Earlier, the seventh seed Misamis Oriental Meteors of Gov. Oscar Moreno and Coach Jun Noel thwarted the second-ranked Pagadian Explorers, 84-81, to also gain a 2-0 edge in their own race-to-3 series. The Meteros won the opener by default as the Explorers failed to show up in time for the game.

The scores

Cebu (99) - Capati 17, Dacia 12, Basco 12, Berame 10, Bucao 9, Rodriguez 8, Padilla 8, Cavan 6, Saladaga 6, Enriquez 3, Tangkay 2, Aying 2, Mepaña 2

Laguna (73) - Gaco 19, Losentes 15, Ricafuente 11, Santos 10, Bolocon 6, Cruz 6, Valderama 2, Lingaolingao 2, Ebuen 2

NOTES:For the second straight game, Laguna coach Nomar Isla was slapped with a technical foul for use of profane language against the referees...Cebu shooting guard Stephen Padilla was whistled for an unsportmanlike foul at 6:30 of the third period - a first in his career...Top pointman Woodrow Enriquez played his first regular game in Liga Pilipinas after being sidelined for two months due to a fractured left hand. His return was very timely as alternate guard Jonas Mark Ababon sat out due to a hip injury he sustained after colliding with Laguna’s Jerwin Gaco during Thursday’s Game 1...There was some hardcourt drama towards the end of the one-sided contact as after Cebu coach Yayoy Alcoseba called a timeout with only 1:39 left to play and the Niños leading by mile, 95-71, Laguna used all their three timeouts in succession to the amusement of spectators.