Red Oilers sweep Capitals in quarterfinals

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon Red Oilers became the second team to advance to the semifinal round of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II by sweeping the Manila Capitals, 69-66, in their best-of-five quarterfinal series at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena, Quezon Monday.

Robert Labagala canned in two pressure-packed free throws with six seconds left to give the Red Oilers a three-point cushion, 69-66, then watched the Caps flub their final offensive play to complete the 3-0 victory.

“I am glad that the series is over. Manila is getting better by the game. Now we can get ready for the semis,” Quezon coach Oliver Bunyi said.

Earlier, Jeffrey Sanders made two free throws off a Mark Magsumbol foul, pushing the Caps within, 66-67, 30 seconds left in the contest. But the Oilers hung tough and relied on Labagala’s charities to clinch the win.

In Cagayan de Oro City, the MP Warriors of GenSan shocked the top seeded Misamis Oriental Meteors, 77-75, to take the opener of their own series at the Xavier University gym.