Cebu Niños sweep Zambo leg elims, gun for 4th title

ZAMBOANGA CITY , Philippines  – The M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños continued their undefeated run by stopping defending national champion Misamis Oriental Meteors, 78-73, in a preview of the championship game of the Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference III Zamboanga City leg Friday evening at the Summit Centre of the Universidad de Zamboanga.

With the win, the team of Michel Lhuillier and coach Raul Alcoseba remained undefeated in 15 games in the conference backed by Smart, Molten, Accel, Calcium-Cee, Gatorade, Air 21 and Burlington and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP).

They will pick up a two-point bonus for sweeping all their three preliminary games in the leg if they win their fourth straight leg title and achieve the rare “golden 60” or a perfect elims record.

After winning their Wednesday and Thursday games via routs, the Niños and Meteors tried each other for size as they battled through nine deadlocks, the last at 71 with 1:45 remaining.

The Niños outsteadied the Meteors as Mark Ababon hit a three-point shot and big man Frank Nailon made crucial free throws to seal the win.

Nailon, who played for the Meteors in Conference I last year, produced 18 points and six rebounds off the bench to lead the Niños. Ababon had 16 points.

Patrick Cabahug and Eder Saldua paced the Meteors with 23 and 21 points, respectively. However, the rest of the Meteors struggled, unable to back up their two gunners.

The Meteors of Gov. Oscar Moreno and coach Jun Noel hope to get back at the Niños in Saturday’s leg finale to earn 10 points and move into second place overall in the tour standings, strengthening their hopes for an automatic berth in the five-team Super Leg that will determine the next national champion this month.

In the nightcap, the EKB-Apayao Rapids registered the franchise’s very first Liga Pilipinas win by trouncing the host Zamboanga Uno Latinos, 100-77.

Losing their first five games, the Rapids of Gov. Elias Bulut raced to a 27-18 lead after one period and never looked back.

The Latinos have one last chance to snatch the last playoff berth for the Super Leg should defeat the Rapids in the Third Place game. The MP Warriors of GenSan currently hold Eighth Place with eight points compared to the Latinos’ five points.

Nat Cruz played his best game as a Rapid with 18 points, 11 rebounds and four assists off the bench. Starter Leimar Navarro supported him with 17 points in only 15 minutes of play. Charleston Bolias topped the Latinos with 21 points and eight rebounds followed by Jayson Rebollos with 15.

Choice games from the Zamboanga City Leg will be aired next week on Solar Sports from Wednesday to Saturday. Also, Liga Pilipinas Classics are seen daily over Viva Prime Channel. The league’s official website is at www.ligapilipinas.net.