Misamis Oriental Meteors keep win streak in Liga Pilipinas

LOS BANOS, Laguna, Philippines - The Misamis Oriental Meteors continued their unbeaten run by trouncing the host Trace-Laguna Stallions, 71-62, Thursday night in the Laguna leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II at the Stallions’ Gym of Trace College.

With the Meteors nursing a slim 46-44 lead after three periods, Jerome Paterno and Mark Moreno scored three triples as the Meteors stretched their lead, 56-47.

The Stallions fought back and threatened behind four straight free throws from Rob Sanz and Jerwin Gaco with 23 seconds to play, 62-64. After Gaco’s second free throw, a quick Meteor inbound pass found Erian Daja all alone for the easy lay-up that iced the game, 66-62, at the 18-second mark.

It was total domination for the Meteors, who tallied their second straight win and sixth overall in as many games in the conference made possible by Smart, ML Kwarta Padala, Accel, Air 21, Burlington, Laptop Phoneshop, Nature’s Spring and Molten. The game saw only two deadlocks, with the Stallions forcing the last one, 36-36, in the second period on a Gaco field goal.

Moreno flirted with a rare quadruple-double with stats of 14 points, nine rebounds, six assists and seven steals. Paterno also had 14 points, highlighted by a tomahawk dunk in the face of Samuel Ekwe at the 3:11 mark of the third period. Rob Sanz and Jerwin Gaco led the Stallions with 11 markers each.

In the first game, the Smart-Pampanga Buddies under coach Allan Gregorio leaned on a furious 14-2 finish to put aside the tough Iloilo Mang Inasal, 93-81.

Forward Jojo Laborte forced the last deadlock of the game with a free throw, 79-79, and 2:18 to play. Adonis Sta. Maria, who had been outplayed until then by Iloilo’s Francis Barcellano, clustered six straight points capped by a free throw off Barcellano’s fifth and final foul with 59 ticks remaining, 87-79.

The Mang Inasal could only come up with two free throws as Emmerson Oreta, Don Camaso and Terrell Theophile put the finishing touches on the win. The Buddies jumped to a 20-point lead in the second period, 40-20. Iloilo slowly crept back, capped by a Laborte steal and lay-up for the lead, 65-63, 2:15 left in the third period.

Vengie Vergara gave the Mang Inasal their last taste of the lead with a triple, 78-76. This was quickly answered by a Joshua Urbiztondo triple that restored the Buddies’ lead for good, 79-78.

Iloilo ‘s woes actually began with the early disqualification of point guard Eugene Tan with 5:55 to play in the final canto.

Niño Gelig scored most of his team-high 17 points in the first half, followed by Oreta with 16. Barcellano paced Iloilo with 19 points. Eldrin Senierez chipped in 17.