Centennial Hardware edges out First ACY Shipping in CECABA

CEBU, Philippines – Defending Liga Pilipinas national champion M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños will treat their fans to an exciting hardcourt showdown this Holy Week as they play a pair of goodwill games against the Talk ‘N Txt Tropang Texters of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) tomorrow and on Thursday at the Cebu Coliseum.Game time is both set at 4 pm, while entrance fee is pegged at only P50 to make it more affordable to the public.

The Niños of team owner Michel J. Lhuillier and head coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba just came off a three-game sweep of Trace-Laguna Stallions in their best-of-five semifinal series to make a return trip to the Liga national finals.

As they await for their championship opponent, there’s practically no rest for the Niños as they challenge the formidable Tropang Texters of coach Chot Reyes in what promises to be another explosive encounter between the pros and the undisputed best commercial squad in the country.

Bannered by prolific reinforcement Tiras Jamaal Wade, the Tropang Texters are currently at fifth place in the import-laced PBA conference alongside Purefoods with identical 3-3 win-loss records.

The other top guns for the Tropang Texters are Asi Taulava, Jimmy Alapag, Jared Dillinger, and Ranidel de Ocampo. Also to be counted upon by TNT are the likes of Mark Cardona, Jason Castro, Harvey Carey, Rob Reyes and Yousif Aljamal.

The Niños, on the other hand, will squeeze the most from the deadly one-two punch of Bruce Dacia and Marlon Basco. They could also depend on the likes of Stephen Padilla, Woodrow Enriquez, Danny Aying, Ron Capati, Gerry Cavan, Mark Ababon, Jojo Tangkay, and productive recruits Abby Santos and Mike Dizon.

On February 22 last year also at the Coliseum, Talk ‘N Txt and M. Lhuillier also figured in a friendly encounter, with the Tropang Texters narrowly beating the gritty Niños, 101-97. Interestingly, it was the first win of Chot Reyes since taking over the coaching chores of TNT from Derrick Pumaren. —EBV (THE FREEMAN)