Cebu vs. Laguna in final

CEBU, Philippines - The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños will fight against the Trace-Laguna Stallions in the championship of the Smart-Liga Pilipinas Conference 4 pre-season games today at the Cebu Coliseum.

Games today (Cebu Coliseum)

For third

5 pm GenSan Pacman vs. Ave Maria

7 pm Cebu Niños vs. Laguna Stallions

The Niños of team owner Michael J. Lhuillier and decorated coach Raul “Yayoy” D. Alcoseba last night completed a three-game elimination round sweep with an easy 88-73 disposition of the GenSan Pacman Warriors of Filipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao.

The Niños, who topped the Liga Conference 3 unbeaten in 21 games, raced to a blistering 18-4 start and the best Warriors could muster was to pull within six points, 16-22, on back-to-back triples by Apol Coronado and Christian Nicdao.

Bruce Dacia hit a buzzer-beating triple to close the first period and later Eliud Poligrates, a collegiate standout from the Southwestern University (SWU) Cobras, drain three successive 3-pointers in a 19-6 splurge that put the Niños comfortably ahead by 19 points, 41-22, with still three minutes left before halftime.

It was an all-M. Lhuillier show from there onwards and the Niños built their biggest lead at 28 points, 65-37, with 5:32 remaining in the third quarter.

Poligrates topped the Niños for the first time with 12 points, all from beyond the arc. Mark Ababon was the other double-digit scorer with 11 as the Niños spread their offensive wealth evenly. Jonathan Pareño posted a game-high 17 points for the Warriors.

The scores

Cebu (88) - Poligrates 12, Ababon 11, Padilla 10, Santos 9, Basco 7, Dacia 7, Cruz 6, Magsumbol 6, Enriquez 5, Saladaga 5, Nailon 4, Mondragon 4, Mepaña 2

GenSan (73) - Pareño 17, Omandam 9, Nicdao 7, Yambao 7, Mendoza 5, Medalla 5, Farochilen 4, Concepcion 4, Daja 4, Coronado 3, Gonzaga 2, Sagad 2, Locsin 2,Callo 2 Quarterscores:25-16, 48-30, 70-46, 88-73.  - THE FREEMAN