The stage for the best-of-seven title showdown was set last night after the Slashers made short work of the Cebu Gems, 93-68, at the USLS Coliseum in Bacolod City, and the Knights finished off the Manila Metrostars, 112-83, at the Mail & More Sports Complex in San Andres, Manila.
The victories enabled Negros and San Juan to wrap up their respective best-of-five conference playoffs, 3-1. Negros, the losing finalist to Pampanga in the 1998 national finals, clinched the Southern title while San Juan, this year’s Crossover Cup champion, bagged the Northern crown.
The finals begins Saturday at the San Juan Gym.
"The boys really played well tonight. They went all out to win this one. Gusto na talaga nilang tapusin ngayon," said San Juan coach Philip Cezar, whose charges, after winning the first two games at home, were denied of a sweep, 79-88, last Saturday at the Metrostars’ homecourt.
Hotshot Chris Calaguio was at his best for San Juan, drilling in 28 points on top of eight rebounds and four assists. He was ably supported by playmaker Chito Victolero who finished with 12 points, 12 assists and four rebounds.
With 1998 MVP John Ferriols still recovering from injury, Reynell Hugnatan delivered the goods for Negros, pumping in 12 of his 18 points in the first half which the Slashers took, 51-35.
Ferriols was out with a broken left thumb he suffered in Negros’ Game One loss. His absence, however, hardly mattered as Hugnatan and Aldrich Reyes led the Slashers to a third straight win over the Gems after losing the series opener in Cebu.
"Nobody gave us a chance to advance into the national finals after we lost John in Game One. But the rest of the guys played with all their heart and played solidly as a team," said Negros coach Robert Sison.
"It makes this feat a very sweet one," added Sison, who drew a combined output of 25 points from Johnedel Cardel and Ruben dela Rosa. All but one of 12 players fielded in by Sison scored.
A big letdown for the Gems was the usually-reliable Stephen Padilla who was held to just nine points. Mat Mitchell escaped with 19 points, most of them coming when the issue was already settled.
The Gems, out to forge a decisive fifth game, got off to a hot start. But after taking a 9-1 lead, they suddenly turned cold, allowing the Slashers to take a 21-16 lead entering the second quarter.
It was an all-Negros show the rest of the way as the Slashers built a 67-46 third-quarter lead before cruising to victory before a jampacked, wildly-cheering hometown crowd.