Hapee, Harbour slug it out

Hapee Toothpaste and Harbour Centre clash today in Game One of their best-of-three series for the PBL V-Go Energy Drink Cup crown at the Rizal Coliseum with odds just about even between the league’s top ballclubs.

Though the Complete Protectors seem to have the edge in manpower in their quest for their first title in three years, the Batang Pier boast of championship experience, having ruled the league’s last three conferences.

A fourth straight crown is, in fact, enough motivation for the Batang Pier to step up and neutralize whatever advantage the Protectors have in their keenly-awaited match at 4 p.m.

Meantime, the league will be raffling off one Suzuki Smash Motorcycle, three Xtreme Magic Sing Version 9 videoke microphones, a Fukuda TV, LG no-frost refrigerator and 5 LG microwaves during the finals.

Several other products from SM Appliance Center, LG, Suzuki and Fukoda will be given to lucky winners on Dec. 29.

“The opportunity is there, we might as well go for it. There’s no harm in trying,” said Harbour owner Mikee Romero, who bankrolled the country’s successful SEAG campaign in Thailand.

Unlike the Protectors, the Batang Pier actually needed to go through a wringer to get into the title playoff, fighting back from a Game One loss in the semis and turning back the San Mig Coffee Kings in sudden death.

Hapee, on the other hand, swept Toyota Balintawak in their own series to keep a remarkable sweep of its last 11 games, including two over Harbour Centre in the classification phase and in the pool round.

But in a short title series, records and statistics are not given much weight with the Batang Pier going flat out to get back at the Complete Protectors.

Game 2 is on Saturday while a decider, if necessary, is set Sunday, also at Rizal Coliseum.

Fil-Am Gabe Norwood, who spearheaded the   country’s gold medal effort in the recent SEA Games, spearheads a talent-laden Hapee squad that includes Reed Juntilla, Mark Borboran, Larry Rodriguez and Roel Hugnatan.

“Gabe is the heart and soul of the team,” said Hapee team manager Bernard Yang. “But what makes Gabe different is that he allows everyone in the team to shine. He’s a consummate team player.”

“They have the championship experience, that’s their advantage,” said Yang. “But our focus right now is to play harder to win the title. We played and worked hard to make it here so there’s no turning back now.”

The last time Hapee won a title was in 2004 when it bested Welcoat Paints.

Actually, Hapee last made it to the finals last season but it was swept by no less than Harbour Centre in three games that still rankles until today.

Meanwhile, Toyota Balintawak  and San Mig Coffee battle it out in a one-game duel for third place at 2 p.m.