INQUIRER Sports

THERE STILL is no stopping the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños as they extended their winning run to 15 games after beating the reigning national champions Misamis Oriental Meteors, 78-73, in what was a preview of the leg title game in the Zamboanga leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference 3 late Friday night at the Summit Centre in Zamboanga City.

The win allowed the red-hot Niños of head coach Raul “Yayoy” Alcoseba to pick up a two-point bonus for sweeping all their three preliminary games in the leg. The two rivals were facing one another for the leg championship which was still being played in as of this writing.

It was a tough game that was highlighted by nine deadlocks and six lead changes but Niños center Frank Nailon proved to be the difference as he outplayed the Meteors' big men. The former Meteor had 18 points and six rebounds while spitfire guard Mark Ababon had 16 markers. Patrick Cabahug paced the Meteors with 23 points.

In the main game, the EKB-Apayao Rapids registered the franchise’s very first Liga Pilipinas win by trouncing the host Zamboanga Uno Latinos, 100-77. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio