Buddies book Liga 3 finals

ANGELES CITY, Philippines – Smart Pampanga Buddies managed to book a finals seat despite losing a close game to nemesis Forward Taguig Batang Global at the close of the preliminary round of the Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference III Pampanga leg Friday night at the Holy Angel University Gym. The visiting Taguig reasserted its mastery of the host Pampanga via an 89-84 win but missed the finals by the slimmest of quotient points.

Taguig had hoped to win by more than seven markers to book a seat in the finale but fell short and was booted out of the leg championship via the FIBA Quotient after figuring in a three-way tie with the Buddies and the Trace-Laguna Stallions with similar 2-1 win-loss cards. The Buddies and Stallions will dispute the leg championship in a one-game showdown.

With team owner Mayor Freddie Tinga watching at ringside, Taguig used a strong fourth period blitz to prevent the erstwhile undefeated Buddies from sweeping the preliminaries and getting the corresponding two-point bonus.

The Stallions set the stage for the three-way tie with a 134-88 extermination of the winless Toyota-Bacolod Turbos in the day’s opener.

The Turbos never recovered as the Stallions rained 15 triples. Ron Capati then gave the Stallions their biggest lead, 92-49. So dominating were the Stallions that they already reached the century mark thanks to a buzzer beater by Rob Sanz to end the third canto, 101-59..

Glenn Bolocon powered the rout with 18 points followed by RB Mangahas with 17. Six other Stallions submitted at least eight points each as they set a new Liga record for team scoring, eclipsing the old mark of 117 set by the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños against the 94 of Taguig on June 21, 2008 in Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur.

Bryan Faundo led Bacolod with 18 followed by Erwin Sta. Maria with 13.

Selected games from the Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference III are shown Wednesdays to Saturdays over Solar Sports. Meanwhile, Liga Pilipinas Classics are aired daily over Viva Prime Channel.

First Game

Laguna 134 - Bolocon 18, Mangahas 17, Doruelo 16, Capati 15, Ricafuente 14, Legaspi 10, Musni 8, Gaco 8, Estrada 7, Angeles 6, Agacer 6, Villaver 4, Sanz 3, Misa 2.

Bacolod 88 - Faundo 18, Sta. Maria 13, Dedicatoria 10, Aquino 9, Pradas 8, Robles 6, Se 6, Santos 6, Magbanua 5, Cunanan 4, Johnson 3.

Quarterscores: 37-9, 68-34, 101-59, 134-88.

Second Game

Taguig 89 - Gatumbato 18, Sta.. Cruz 16, Cruz 13, Marquez 12, Larong 9, Alfad 6, Leynes 6, Reguera 4, Moody 2, Baluyot 2, de Leon 1, Walsham 0.

Pampanga 84 - Magpayo 16, Taylor 13, de Guzman 13, Arao 12, Thiele 8, Gelig 7, Tan 5, Villamin 4, An. Espiritu 3, Al. Espiritu 2, Sta. Maria 1, Luanzon 0.

Qurterscores: 15-20, 41-50, 64-63, 89-84.