MANILA, Philippines - 100PLUS Isotonic Sports Drink leaned on Winnie Rivera and Kyle Yulo to survive a last-ditch rally by Secret Spices and eke out a hard-earned 94-86 win in the 2011 MBL Corporate Cup basketball championship at the Aquinas gym in San Juan.
Rivera scattered 24 points, including a pair of three-point shots in the closing minutes, while Yulo added 18 points to spark a crippling 8-0 windup that shattered the game’s last deadlock at 86-all and clinched the win for 100plus in the annual tournament supported by Ironcon Builders, Cebuana Lhuillier, PRC Courier, Dickies Underwear and WG Diners.
The late-game heroics by Rivera and Yulo came after 100plus squandered a commanding 15-point lead, 72-57, at the start of the fourth quarter and fell behind by one, 80-81, following a barrage of three-point shots by Ramon Litonjua and Joeward Jamil and strong inside plays by Erickson Araman.
But a closing 14-5 run triggered by Rivera, Yulo and Rhum Perry Scott enabled the Philip Yulo-mentored 100plus to salvage the win
The win enabled 100plus to join Star Group of Publications in second to third places with identical 2-1 win-loss slates.
Micah Medical Clinic-Parola leads the way with two straight victories.
Actually, 100plus jumped to an early 33-14 lead thru the efforts of Rivera, Yulo, Regan Hasal and Bodie Balmaceda
But Secret Spices of coach Pablo Lucas slowly worked its way back behind the able leadership of Reyes and former Jose Rizal College mainstay Macky Villarta, who set up Litonjua for several three-point attempts.
A putback by Araman capped the rally and gave Secret Spices its first taste of the lead, 81-80 going into the final two and a half minutes.
Hassal added 11 points and Balmaceda and Scott contributed 10points apiece for 100plus.
Litonjua led Secret Spices with 20 points, followed by Araman with 15, Jamil with 13 and Mar Reyes and Nhoel Baltazar with 11.
Multi-titled coach Loreto “Ato” Tolentino is the commissioner, while Albert Andaya is the tournament director.