INQUIRER Sports

CEBU CITY— M. Lhuiller Kwarta Padala-Cebu supplied a fitting climax to a magical run.

The Cebu Niños ended the suspense after only two quarters and finished off the Misamis Oriental Meteors, 89-54, Monday night to capture the Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference 3 championship at the Cebu Coliseum here.

The lopsided result capped a 21-game sweep for the Niños, who avenged their stinging loss to the same Meteors in the Conference 2 finals.

“Twenty-one is just a number,” said M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu coach Yayoy Alcoseba, a councilor here. “For it to become significant, we have to end the conference with a championship crown.”

Playmaker Mark Ababon and Bruce Dacia sparked Cebu to an early 23-11 advantage before Stephen Padilla and Ariel Mepana bloated the lead to 24 at 44-20 at halftime.

Padilla was later named Superleg MVP and teammate Woodrow Enriquez the Conference MVP.

In the playoff for third, RB Mangahas scored on an off-balanced three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining to carry Trace-Laguna Stallions to a 92-91 squeaker over the Quezon Red Oilers.

Liga Pilipinas president and CEO Noli Eala later announced the holding of Conference 4 starting in January.

The scores:

First Game

TRACE-LAGUNA 92—Losentes 23, Sanz 14, Capati 14, Estrada 13, Mangahas 11, Anquillo 8, Villaver 6, Grijaldo 2, Musni 1, Tolentino 0, Medina 0, Angeles 0.

QUEZON 91—Panzo 19, Pinera 17, Palaganas 12, Mondragon 12, Raymundo 10, Dedicatoria 8, Orias 6, Labagala 6, Cacha 1, Suguitan 0.

Quarters: 27-26, 47-48, 70-71, 92-91.

Second game

MLKP-CEBU 89—Ababon 14, Nailon 13, Padilla 12, Enriquez 10, Saladaga 7, Basco 7, Santos 6, Dacia 6, Poligrates 5, Mepana 4, Magsumbol 3, Escobal 2.

MISAMIS ORIENTAL 54—Moreno 15, Daja 8, Kong 6, Lamocha 6, Clavel 5, Cabahug 4, Saldua 3, Misa 2, Mamaclay 2, Guiyab 2, Butel 1, Mente 0, Tagupa 0.

Quarters: 23-11, 44-20, 61-39, 89-54