GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Jan. 16 (PNA)-? Host MP Gensan Warriors sizzled at the start of the second half.
Gand dominated a hapless Edding Zanorte Babami (Zamboanga del Norte) 104-80 to pick up a crucial win in its home leg of the Smart-Liga Pilipinas Conference II at the Lagao Gym.
With five players scoring in double digits including Bobby Pacquiao, brother of boxing champion Manny Pacquiao, the Warriors turned a precarious one point lead at the half into an insurmountable advantage midway into the fourth period to gain some headway in its leg finals quest of the fledgling regional league supported by Smart, Molten, Accel, Nature?s Spring, Burlington, ML Kwarta Padala and Air 21.
Guards John Gonzaga and Bob Ilanga spearheaded a sleek running game at the start of the third canto as Gensan outscored Zanorte 21-7 in a six minute span. The Warriors shot 58 percent from the field before a big hometown crowd as it secured a needed win to keep its leg finals chances alive.
Bobby Pacquiao scored eight of his 10 points in the 2nd half to help the Warriors win its first game which played without boxing icon Manny Pacquiao who skipped the game due to pressing matters.
Gonzaga led the Warriors with 18 points in only 15 minutes of play while starting 6?5 center Dondon Mendoza chipped 16 points and eight rebounds. Ilanga finished with 14 while burly forward Jaypee Locsin added 13 in the Warriors? scoring parade. Sweet shooting Jonathan Pareno led the Babami with 22 markers following up his 20 point losing performance against Laguna.
In the earlier game, powerhouse Trace Laguna Stallions limited the Ilocos Sur Bravehearts to five first quarter points before coasting to its 2nd consecutive leg elims victory 84-67.
Jay Arr Estrada, Arvie Mangahas and Sam Ekwe reasserted their supremacy in the paint combining for 38 points to lead the way for the Stallions virtually booking the first slot of the Gensan leg.
After taking the half 48-25, the Stallions erected their biggest lead at 56-27 after a three point basket by Alex Angeles and a breakaway lay up of Robert Sanz in the third period.
From there the Bravehearts could not come any closer than trim the lead to 16 at 76-60 with 3:49 remaining in the 4th.
Sam Ekwe nearly registered his 2nd consecutive double-double performance narrowly missing the mark with nine points and 15 rebounds.
Ilocos Sur native Christian Cabatu led his team with 19 points as the Bravehearts suffered their first loss in the leg elims after nipping host Gensan in Wednesday?s opening twinbill.
Ilocos Sur will play Zanorte while Gensan takes its crack on undefeated Laguna in Friday?s crucial last day of leg elims with both the Bravehearts and Warriors hoping to barge into the Saturday?s finals against the Stallions.
Box Scores
Game 1:
Laguna 84 Estrada 16, Mangahas 13, Villaver 13, Sanz 11, Ekwe 9, Ricafuente 8, Angeles 8, Doruelo 3, Legaspi 3
Ilocos Sur 67
Cabatu 19, Galapon 7, Santos 7, Valderama 6, Baluyot 6, Junio 5, Alberto 5, Cruz 4, Gonzales 3, Musni 3, Yambao 2
Game 2:
Gensan 104
Gonzaga 18, Mendoza 16, Ilanga 14, Locsin 13, Pacquiao B. 10, Sagad 8, Farochilen 8, Coronado 6, Medalla 5, Tadena 2, Callo 2, Oligario 2
Zanorte 80
Pareno 22, Bolias 20, Concepcion 14, Rebollos 11, France 8, Lozano 4, Climaco 1. (PNA)
