PBL AMINO CUP SEMIFINALS
Hapee feasts on Burger King; Harbour scores
By Jasmine W. Payo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 23:36:00 05/09/2008
TARLAC CITY, Philippines--A freak injury to young star Jervy Cruz was all Hapee seemingly needed to run Burger King off the court.
The Complete Protectors picked Cruz up from a halftime accident and then picked apart the Whoppers with a 17-0 run after the break for an 82-70 victory in the semifinal opener of the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup Friday in front of a 4,000-strong crowd at the Tarlac State University gym.
Mark Borboran took charge in the pivotal stretch to finish with 15 points and tow the Complete Protectors to a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five encounter.
The series winner will go up against the victor of the other semifinal clash between four-time champion Harbour Centre and San Mig Coffee. The Batang Pier got a headstart on that series with a 76-74 thriller in the second game.
Split free throws by Solomon Mercado and Chad Alonzo turned out to be game-clinching buckets as both squads struggled from the field after a 74-74 deadlock.
Mercado paced the off-sync Batang Pier with 24 points, while Jason Castro piled up 18 markers, nine boards and eight assists.
Cruz' unfortunate condition cast a pall over the Complete Protectors after the match. The 6-foot-4 Cruz sustained a left hamstring injury after slipping during the team warm-ups right before the start of the second half.
Team officials said that Cruz, the reigning UAAP MVP, will remain under observation.
Slam dunk champion Gabe Norwood got the Complete Protectors off to an early double-digit advantage, 18-8, by burying 12 of his 18 points in the first period aside from dishing out a game-high six assists.
The Complete Protectors kept the distance at 30-21, before the Whoppers rallied behind Mike Bravo and Cris Baluyot to close within 37-32 at the break.
But Borboran responded in the second half by knocking down six points in the pivotal 17-0 run that stretched their five-point halftime advantage to a 54-32 gap.
Zone press
Reed Juntilla contributed nine of his 11 markers in the final two quarters to help preserve the Complete Protectors' lead, which grew to as many as 23 points, 60-37, late in the third period.
"It's our zone press (that held the Whoppers scoreless) in the third period," said Hapee coach Louie Alas.
Before the accident, Cruz registered eight points and five rebounds in 16 minutes.
Right before the game, Tarlac standout Jaypee Mendoza received a special recognition for playing a key role in the Nokia Philippine Youth Team's title campaign in the Southeast Asian Basketball Association Championship for Junior Men recently in Kuala Lumpur.
The Mendoza, 17, received the citation from Tarlac City mayor Genaro Mendoza and city sports development officer Arnold Rodriguez.
The legendary Caloy Loyzaga, who powered the Philippines to a bronze finish in the 1954 Fiba World Championship, also graced the games along with Philippine Olympic Committee spokesperson Joey Romasanta.
The double-header will be aired today on BTV from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on IBC 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The scores:
HAPEE 82--Norwood 18, Borboran 15, Juntilla 11, Cruz 8, Rodriguez 8, Mercado 7, Daa 4, Grijaldo 4, Tan 4, Saguindel 2, Viray 1, Ranises 0, Quinday 0, Hugnatan 0, Espiritu 0.
BURGER KING 70--Bravo 19, Popus 13, David 11, Arellano 8, Baluyot 8, Santos 4, Barcellano 3, Ballesteros 2, Gregorio 2, Masbang 0, Bonus 0, Misa 0, Angeles 0.
Quarters: 20-15, 37-32, 64-42, 82-70
Second Game
HARBOUR CENTRE 76--Mercado 24, Castro 18, Belga 11, Alonzo 6, Chan 5, Tang 4, Asoro 4, Fernandez 2, Ababou 2, Gaco 0, Vergara 0, Gamboa 0, Malabanan 0.
SAN MIG COFFEE 74--Alcaraz 17, Custodio 15, Arao 15, Rañeses 13, Losentes 6, Dela Cuesta 4, Balneg 2, Solis 2, Saldua 0, Bolocon 0, Mabayo 0.
Quarters: 10-19, 43-40, 60-63, 76-74
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