Slashers rip Blades in opener

The Negros Slashers cut the taller, star-studded LBC Blades down to size last night as they rolled to a 101-94 victory in the MBA Cebuana-Lhuillier Friendship Games before a jampacked crowd at the New Cebu City Coliseum.

The Slashers, last year’s Southern Conference champions and runners-up in the controversy-marred National Finals, jumped the gun on the Blades early, hung tough in the next two quarters before unleashing a strong finishing kick to frustrate their rivals, composed of the standouts of the Manila Metrostars and the Batangas Blades.

Alex Compton and Eddie Laure tried to steer the Blades to the top in the third period but the Slashers refused to crack up and countered with their own run to keep the lead they sustained in the final quarter.

"I am happy for the team," said Negros coach Robert Sison who credited his wards’ heads-up game. "The tournament is good for us in that we were able to see our strengths and weaknesses."

Four teams, including 2000 National Champions Andok’s (San Juan) Knights, and host Cebuana-Lhuillier Gems, are seeing action in the two-day event presented by Cebuana-Lhuillier, Lysol and Globe Handiphone.

The match between the Knights and the Gems will be telecast on PTV-4 at noon today.

The winner will meet the Slashers for the crown at 4 p.m. tomorrow with the LBC Blades clashing with the loser of the other contest for third at 2 p.m.