Harbour snares record fifth crown

BATANGAS CITY – Harbour Centre took the fight out of Hapee Toothpaste with an early burst of firepower as the Batang Pier rolled to an 86-73 victory yesterday for a record-setting fifth straight championship in the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup.

Three-time MVP Jason Castro poured in seven of his 13 points in a telling second quarter run, giving the Batang Pier a double-digit spread which they held all the way to the finish as they turned back  the Complete Protectors in their best-of-five series, 3-1, to clinch their fifth straight crown before some 5,000 fans at the Batangas Sports Complex here.

“It’s a nice feeling winning five straight titles,” said Harbour coach Jorge Gallent, who also won four PBL plums as a player for Stag Pale Pilsen in the late 90s.

Harbour Centre thus joined the elite circle of PBL teams with multiple championships, including Stag/Tanduay Rhum and Welcoat Paints, which won seven and six titles, respectively, before moving up to the pro league.

“We made it here because of God and our never-say-die spirit,” said Harbour team owner Mikee Romero.

The 5-9 Castro, who will suit up for the Singapore Slingers in the Australia-based National Basketball League in August, also dished off nine assists, pulled down three rebounds and made three steals and a shot block to clinch the Finals MVP plum.

Jeff Chan, a former Far Eastern U stalwart, helped bury the Complete Protectors with three triples to finish with 10 points and capture the Pivotal Player award in the title series.

Two big runs bridging both halves sent the Batang Pier way ahead although the Complete Protectors tried to come up with a counterattack in the final quarter to no avail.

Boyet Bautista, one of the key players in Harbour’s 93-81 triumph in the series-tying Game 2 win, stepped up in the final period and finished with 16 points.

Needing a win to force a winner-take-all match, Hapee engaged Harbour in a tight first quarter game and early in the second period.

But the Batang Pier, with Castro hitting his marks, unloaded a torrid a 19-0 run to post a 41-24 lead before Gabe Norwood snapped Hapee’s spell with a running jumper at the close of the half.

However, an alley-oop slam by Norwood off a Mark Borboran assist at the buzzer was nullified by game officials, who ruled that the time had already lapsed before the shot was made.

Castro fired 11 points after the first two quarters while Chad Alonzo, Chan Jerwin Gaco scattered nine, seven and six points, respectively, powering the Batang Pier to a double-digit cushion going into the final half.

Reed Juntilla paced Hapee in the first half with 11 points but the Complete Protectors turned the ball over 15 times that translated to 18 fast break points for the Batang Pier.

Earlier, the league awarded Harbour Centre guard TY Tang a special Civic Consciousness citation for donating his allowances as scholarship grants to needy students.

“We’re honoring him (Tang) with this special award for his unselfishness and caring to others particularly for more needy kids who can’t afford to pay for school,” said league commissioner Chino Trinidad.

It was the second citation Tang, the Finals MVP last conference, received this year after making it to the Second Mythical Team that included teammate Sol Mercado, Hapee’s Jervy Cruz and San Mig Coffee’s Neil Raneses and Bon Bon Custodio.