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DEFENDING national champions Misamis Oriental Meteors claimed the first finals berth in the 7th leg of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference 3 after nipping Forward Taguig, 82-75, last Thursday at the Trace College Gym in Los Banos, Laguna.
The Meteors appeared to be in trouble as they fell behind by 14 points, 42-56, but clawed their way back into the match behind former University of San Jose-Recoletos Jaguar Layndon Gudez, who scored nine points in a fiery 15-1 run that gave his squad the lead, 62-60.
The match went back and forth until Taguig suddenly went cold and the Meteors took advantage with Gudez canning two free-throws and gunner Patrick Cabahug making a three-point shot that gave them an 80-73 lead with just 19 seconds remaining in the game.
Cabahug and Gudez continued to be Liga?s hottest scoring pair with 25 and 22 points respectively. Reguera topped Taguig with 18 points followed by Lou Gatumbato with 17.
Meanwhile, the Trace-Laguna Stallions broke into the win column after decimating the GenSan-MP Warriors, 76-63.
Leading all the way, the Stallions were briefly threatened when Apol Coronado led an early third period run that put the Warriors of Manny Pacquiao and Coach Ramon Pido at their closest, 37-39. Jay-Arr Estrada responded by scoring nine of the Stallions? next 11 points to stop the rally, 50-40.
The Stallions managed to pad their lead as Jan Villaver scattered 11 of the Stallions? 21 fourth period markers to level their win-loss card at 1-1 and set up a knockout match with Forward Taguig for the second championship berth. That match was still being played as of this writing.
Villaver paced the Stallions of Atty. Erwin Genuino and Coach Nomar Isla with 18 points while Estrada finished with 17 points. Dennis Concha was the lone Warrior in twin digits with 11. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio
