Host Taguig, Pampanga stay unbeaten

TAGUIG CITY , Philippines  – Host Forward Taguig and the Smart-Pampanga Buddies virtually arranged a championship showdown for the Taguig City Leg of the Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference III with one more playdate left in the elims by registering contrasting wins at the C. P. Tinga Memorial Hall Thursday night.

Forward Taguig cruised to an easy victory over the Zamboanga Uno Latinos, 83-70, while the Buddies needed an extra period to subdue Liga newcomer Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue, 79-76. Both teams thus grabbed their second win in as many games in the tournament supported by Smart, Accel, Molten, Calcium-Cee, Gatorade, Air 21 and Burlington. They will meet for the leg championship today. Zamboanga and Mandaue will play for Third Place.

After a tight first half where they led by only three points, 40-37, Taguig blew the game wide open with a 28-5 run started by Ardy Larong and sustained by Lou Gatumbato, Harold Sta. Cruz and Nat Cruz to begin the third period en route to erecting their biggest lead, 68-42.

Zamboanga managed to stage a 15-0 run in the fourth period that lessened the deficit with four minutes to go, 64-74. However, Taguig held on as Sta. Cruz and Nino Marquez shot well from the free throw line to preserve the victory.

Paul Reguera led Taguig with 17 points on five triples all converted in the first half. Gatumbato followed with 14. Christopher Concepcion topped the Latinos with 20 points while Jonathan Parreno added 11.

In the first game, Earn Saguindel lifted the Buddies with a teardrop shot that shattered a 76-76 tie with 44 ticks to play in overtime. Jercules Tangkay, who had forced the last deadlock with a three-point play off Al Magpayo, then threw the ball away and was forced to foul Chester Taylor who split his charities for the final count with five seconds remaining..

Jerome Cenita forced the overtime via a long triple with 33 seconds left in regulation, 71-71. Landmaster was well in control of the game until the Buddies came roaring back, capped by an acrobatic shot by Nino Gelig followed by two Saguindel free throws off Ronald Bucao at the 47-second mark for a 71-68 cushion before Cenita’s heroics.

Adonis Sta. Maria led the Buddies with 14 points while Anthony Espiritu added 11. Cenita paced Mandaue with 17 points. Tangkay finished with 13 markers.

The games of Liga Pilipinas Conference III are shown over Solar Sports every Wednesday and Thursday at 2:00 PM and every Friday and Saturday at 4:00 PM. Selected games are also shown over Viva Prime Channel.