Wednesday, October 10, 2007 Holcim Misor scores first win vs Agilas
HOLCIM Pyrce Pharma-MisOr finally barged into the 2007 Mindanao Visayas Basketball Association (MVBA) Second Conference win column with an inspiring 100-89 victory over the visiting Goldstar Hardware-backed Duterte Agilas-Davao Monday at the Xavier University gym here.
Holcim's exploit followed after the one-point victory of the Gov. Oscar S. Moreno-led Misor Shining Stars over IBP Lawyers to cushion the impact of their surprising loss to Khaz Navales' Subokin Veterans the night before.
A day after setting a conference-low with 48 points against Cebu Landmaster-Mandaue, the team of league chairman Gov. Oscar Moreno and Coach Bong Abad came out with guns firing away, engaging the Agilas in a shootout and become the first team to score a hundred points en route to their first win in three starts in the league sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (BAP-SBP) and made possible by ML Kwarta Padala, Nature's Spring Water, Sulpicio Lines, Accel, Cokaliong Shipping, Reva Sandals, Gameface.Ph and Nike Basketball.
Showing improvement every game, the Agilas under acting coach Rhoel Josol raced to an early 15-9 lead, but MisOr fought back to seize the advantage, 18-16, en route to taking the first period, 31-24.
The Agilas played catch up from there, managing to tie the count once at 67-67 courtesy of Greggy Delica before Mark Apepe canned a late triple to give MisOr the lead entering the final canto, 70-67.
Benched in their first two losing games, Apepe led MisOr's charge in the fourth to repel all rallies by the Agilas, who threatened for the last time at 77-80 on a basket by Jonjon Gonzaga at the four-minute mark.
Nathaniel Cruz and Mark More¤o then banged in key baskets as Apepe fired another triple that erected an unassailable 90-79 MisOr edge entering the final two minutes. MisOr then shot steadily from the free throw line to preserve the win.
Cruz led all scorers with 24 while Apepe added 14 to tow three other MisOr players in twin digits. The trio of Delica, Gonzaga and Eliazar Berami topped the Agilas with 17 markers each. MisOr was gunning for its second straight win in a game against the MP Warriors-GenSan Tuesday night.
The Agilas will begin their three-game tour of the Visayas Division in search of the elusive first win Wednesday when they visit Arthro Kontra Arthritis at the New Cebu Coliseum starting at 5:30 pm. Arthro of sports patron Jonathan Guardo and Coach Al Solis currently carries a 1-2 record.
