Jewels glow with old pride

Montaña, pushed to the brink by back-to-back setbacks, bounced back with a big 89-73 victory over Welcoat yesterday, foiling the Paintmasters’ sweep bid and living for another day in their best-of-five showdown for the PBL Unity Cup crown at the Astrodome.

Jondan Salvador unleashed a huge game reminiscent of his MVP reign last year when the Jewels ruled the Open Championship as he exploded for a series-high 29 points while snaring down 18 rebounds to power the team to the victory and cut the Paintmasters’ lead to 1-2.

Alex Compton, hampered by a left ankle injury in Game 2, also shone like a gem for the Jewels as he tossed in 19 points, including five triples in a big effort that drew praises from his coach.

"Jondan showed his MVP form, he’s the best player in the league. But our motivating factor was Alex, who provided the inspiration for us by playing hurt. I have to give it to him (Compton)," said Montaña coach Robert Sison.

Welcoat, which took Game 1, 82-80, and Game 2, 65-62, has one more chance to wrap up the series up as it shoots for the clincher tomorrow at the same venue. Game 5, if necessary, is set Saturday.

With the victory, Montaña hopes to sustain the momentum as it tries to become only the second team to rally from 0-2 down in a five-game duel.

The only squad that has achieved the feat was Dr. J Alcohol, which did it at the expense of the Eric Menk-led Tanduay Gold squad in the 1998 Centennial Cup.

"It will be hard but we’ll always go out there thinking that we can do it," said Sison.

With Salvador dominating both ends of the court, the Jewels roared to a fiery start, building a commanding 24-9 lead as early as the first quarter.

Montaña kept it that way until midway in the third period, 56-41, before Fil-Am Jay Washington sparked a 13-0 run that trimmed it down at 56-54, late in the period.

But the Jewels who led by 16 points in the fourth quarter of Game 2 but blew it, kept their composure this time and coasted to the win as the Paintmasters’ rally fizzled out.