Calaguio lifts Naughty Needlez vs Wang's

MANILA, Philippines - Former PBA cager Chris Calaguio hit a triple in the last seven seconds as Naughty Needlez Tattoo came from behind to nip erstwhile unbeaten Wang’s Ballclub, 88-85, in the MBL First Conference (Open) basketball championship at the RONAC playground in Ortigas, San Juan recently.

Calaguio’s endgame heroics capped a sterling performance of a conference-high 40 points as Naughty Needlez Tattoo chalked up its second straight victory in the nine-team tournament.

Sea Lions, meanwhile, bounced back from an opening day defeat to beat AMA Computer University, 77-70.

Calaguio, who played seven seasons for Shell and San Miguel in the pro league from 2002-09, popped out of a double screen by Warren Ybañez and John Hall and hit the game clinching triple against the outstretched arms of Wang’s defender Jonathan Aldave.

Aldave, another former PBA player from Talk N Text, then missed a desperation three-point shot as time expired.

Calaguuo’s game-winner came after Aldave nailed his own triple off Calaguio and Ronjay Enrile drove against a phalanx of defenders to tie the score at 85 with still 20 seconds remaining.

Ybanez, who played for Red Bull, and Philippine Christian University standout Jack Corbuz added 15 points apiece for Naughty Needlez-MGM, which played without Gerald Anderson, Luis Alandy and Marco Alcaraz.

Aldave finished with 22 points but former FedEx gunner Biboy Simon, however, was held to only six points.

In the first game, Jeff Sanders, Luis Palaganas, Pol Santiago and Leimar Navarro combined for 45 points to power Sea Lions past the AMA five.