MCBL TEAMS

Cebuana Lhuillier sweeps MCBL elims; records fifth straight finals appearance
By Bhenjar Toor

CEBUANA LHUILLIER took out the broom for yet another time to sweep the MPG Corporate Basketball League (MCBL) elimination round and get an outright finals berth via 72-54 win over erstwhile undefeated contender NCO, a business process outsourcing giant, last November 12 at the Zone in Malugay, Makati.

Making their move in the final quarter, the pawnshop masters outplayed their counterparts in the most crucial part of the contest to put the icing on their elimination round run to what may become a banner year as they get closer to a possible third straight title to set another milestone in corporate sports.

“We just really wanted to prove to everyone that we can do it and that we can regroup and win convincingly after having some difficulties in our other games,” veteran guard Bohm Alicante, a member of the 2008 squad that first won a title in Division B.

Cebuana Lhuillier put themselves in a position to extend their reign and possibly shoot for a first three-peat title in the MCBL which no other Division A team has ever achieved.

Keeping the nucleus of its 2008 squad led by Jean Henri Lhuillier, 2009 MVP Jaycee Bernaldo, Darius Barut, Ulysses Lapiz, Niño Baldeo, Team Captain Michael Nerecina, Bohm Alicante, and Melchor Jaluag, the team has done well to complement an experienced roster with youth. Among the 2009 inclusions that have led the way for the Defending Champion were top Most Valuable Player contender Mark Trinidad who averaged 22 points, four rebounds, two steals, and an assist per game and Julian Bagares who averaged with seven points, four rebounds, four assists, and three steals a game.

Surprisingly, Bernaldo, who started slow in the early goings of the tournament, have quietly climbed to the fourth spot of the MVP race by averaging seven points, three rebounds, and a steal per game. Tristan Pagente has also contributed well for Cebuana Lhuillier with his 10 points, three rebounds, and a steal per game.

“We’re hoping for a good year and we are having one,” Cebuana Lhuillier Head Coach Beaujing Acot said. “Hopefully we can finish this tournament off as champions, and that is why we have to work really hard for it.”

Cebuana Lhuillier came tantalizingly close to scoring a three-peat last year but they got ambushed by Nougat in the 2010 MCBL First Conference to settle for a runner-up finish. They eventually bounced back the following conference by beating Nougat in the elimination and winning the finals versus Accenture to capture their first of two titles. Nougat did not get a return trip to the finals as they opted to bolt out of the league after a controversial match with NCO that was marred with technical fouls and a bench-clearing incident.

“It’s probably a blessing in disguise that Cebuana Lhuillier that they lost to nougat then won two straight titles, because that will give the team some new hunger, new fire. For a start, a three-peat in the MCBL among corporate teams is almost impossible to do given the way teams usually beef up their lineups,” University of Santo Tomas Professor and Sports Psychologist Dr. Mariglo Vicente remarked. “Look at Unilever. Look at NCO. Before Cebuana can beat them easily but now the team has to struggle for most part of the game.”

Dr. Vicente pointed out that when it comes to talent, the other teams can readily match up with Cebuana Lhuillier and can even beat them in their own game. “But what really separates the team from the rest is their familiarity with each other and the system they are using until now,” she explained.

“The players know when to pass and when to score. They also know when to set-up a teammate when the other is not doing well. They are pretty psyched up for every game and they refuse to back down from anyone even they are bigger in terms of heft and height,” Dr. Vicente said.

“This mindset of being a champion, and not giving up on any game, and of really pushing themselves beyond expectations comprise what a champion is. Cebuana Lhuillier will win their third straight title if they remain focused, confident, but not too much, and mindful of what the competition can do so they can address it,” she added.

Trinidad fired 26 points, grabbed four rebounds, and issued two assists with two steals and a block to lead the charge for the Cebuana Lhuillier offensive juggernaut while Pagente and Bagares added 15 and 14 points, respectively, to help contain NCO’s offense.

NCO’s Marlon Kalaw scored 15 points, and was the only one in double figures for the contender, to lead his team’s offense.

It was a struggle for the first three quarters as the NCO defense seems to have found a way to neutralize the Cebuana Lhuillier offense. They also had an answer for every scoring spurt by the Defending Champion. Despite dominating the rebounds via 47-36 caroms, NCO failed to convert when it matters most and scored a miserly 10% from beyond the arch. They also converted only 29% in the shaded lane while Cebuana Lhuillier took their offense a notch higher despite the rough defense and physical offensive plays being put up by their opponents, which almost put some of the players into blows before cooler heads can prevail.

A sweep of the elimination round gave Cebuana Lhuillier the first finals slot while NCO will have to go through the stepladder semifinals with JP Morgan and Accenture also eyeing the last finals slot.

Cebuana Lhuillier scores back-to-back wins versus HP; eyes elims sweep
By Bhenjar Toor

ONE team was bent on a sweep, another on an upset. In the end, the former kept it’s unblemished record unscathed, not once but twice.

Despite playing what seemed to be their tightest games, Cebuana Lhuillier fashioned out two straight wins against Hewlett-Packard; an 80-75 win at North Greenhills last Oct. 29 and an 68-60 win at Reyes Gym last Nov. 5.

In both instances, Cebuana Lhuillier had to hold on to the lead to salvage the game in a surging comeback by the newcomers whose winless card became unsubstantial when battling the Defending Champion whom they managed to push to the limits before running away with wins in the end game.

MVP contenders Mark Trinidad and Jaycee Bernaldo led the Cebuana Lhuillier offense as they were backstopped by ace point guard Julian Bagares.

“We badly needed those two wins against HP so we can arrange that game with NCO and get an outright finals slot,” Head Coach Beaujing Acot remarked.

So far, Cebuana Lhuillier had a six-point winning average versus HP in spite of having three of the top players in the league. Ironically, the Defending Champion failed to completely dominate their games versus their supposed lighter assignment, which may be a positive as seen by Assistant Playing Coach Albert Olaya.

“We stuck to the same unit during the end game because I am confident that we can pull it off, and even if the margin is not that big, at least we are able to build on character by hanging on to the lead,” Olaya told the players after beating HP.

But with the two games being decided only in the last few minutes, Cebuana Lhuillier may have to turn things around and get back to their old form if they wish to defend their title and win a third straight crown with NCO being the biggest obstacle in sight. This is without discounting the possibility of a rejuvenated Unilever squad unleashing their firepower to snare their remaining games and barge into the finals if they win all their semifinals games.

“Shooting was definitely a factor, and most likely the fact that the game is very challenging for a newbie team like us, the adrenaline was really there to make an upset,” HP Consultant for Systems Applications and Products Angelo Carlo Rosales observed. “Rebounding was there, but I think what really went our way was Cebuana Lhuillier does not know what to expect from us since we were under the radar while Cebuana Lhuillier is the defending champion and we know we cannot take them lightly,” he added.

Cebuana Lhuillier Sports Psychologist Dr. Mariglo Vicente pointed out that despite the clean slate of the team, the players must make the necessary adjustments to be able to get back into their top form. “It should always be a combination of talent and effort. The team cannot afford to always be lackadaisical in their games. It is all right to be calm and observant while playing, but there should also be some sense of urgency so the players will react properly to every situation,” she explained.

Dr. Vicente stressed that the players cannot afford to be too confident going into their last game since “there is nothing certain at this point in time.” She said that the players must not slow down or be laid back since that leads them to a mediocre showing. “The players shooting must definitely improve and they have to maintain good defense all throughout the game,” she added.

“The team has a big chance to bag the title again only if they maintain that discipline, mental toughness, and improved offensive and defensive plays,” Dr. Vicente said.

Cebuana Lhuillier will have their hands full versus NCO’s Regin Ranises, Roldan Sigua, and Ron Allan Arias as these three have led the offensive charge for the dark horse squad. Even so, Defending Champion Cebuana Lhuillier has proven time and again that they can pull off a win. This will surely be tested come game time.

Cebuana Lhuillier scores crucial win versus Accenture
By Bhenjar Toor

Defending Champion Cebuana Lhuillier showed their fiery form once again versus a gritty Accenture five that battled tooth and nail for the first three quarters before succumbing to pressure and hand the pawnshop masters their third straight win via 95-87 decision last October 16 at the North Greenhills Gym.

It took Cebuana Lhuillier everything they had inside their bag to snatch the win as they faced off with a stubborn Accenture squad that went tit-for-tat from tip off to buzzer. The 2010 Second Conference runners-up proved to be up to the task as ace guards Niku Valles and Edward Manaloto unleashed a series of scoring barrage to keep the game close for most of the way to end up with 25 and 20 points, respectively.

“Isang reason kung bakit dikit yung laban kasi na-contain yung mga main gunners natin. Isa pa conditioned din mga players nila,” slotman Darius Barut opined. “Obviously, they were challenged dahil pareho halos height ng mga players natin and game style with them. Mabilis din sila so halos pareho lang.”

2009 MVP Jaycee Bernaldo added that it was the persistent play of the team that really made the biggest difference during crunch time. Veteran forward Melchor Jaluag, however, feels that luchalso had to much to do with the fourth quarter when Cebuana Lhuillier went on a scoring surge to break the back of Accenture and gain some head way leading to the win during regulation.

Ironically, Accenture failed to capitalize on the Cebuana Lhuillier turnovers. They also controlled the boards by grabbing seven more compared to Cebuana Lhuillier’s 38.

“It was really our offense that made us win this time,” Barut pointed out. Cebuana Lhuillier had a better shooting night as they converted 41% of their three-point attempts and 51% of their inside attempts compared to Accenture’s 31 and 44, respectively. Accenture outscored Cebuana Lhuillier from the free throw line by converting 18 of their 24 attempts compared to the latter’s 13 of 22.

“Swerte lang din talaga tayo kasi we started making our shots when we needed it most in the last quarter,” Jaluag remarked.

Whether it was a win because of luck or talent, Cebuana Lhuillier grabs a crucial win that puts them at par with another undefeated team and share the top spot in the early goings of the tournament with NCO.

The Scores:

Cebuana Lhuillier 95 – Trinidad 30, Bagares 16, Pagente 13, Hostellero 9, Bernaldo 7, Lhuillier 7, Balasote 6, Washington 4, Ebarle 2, Olaya 1.

Accenture 87 – Valles 25, Manaloto 20, Monton 16, Castañeda 9, Consul 6, Gumapal 5, Manaois 2, Portus 2, Abay 2.

Cebuana Lhuillier crushes JP Morgan
By Bhenjar Toor

Defending Champion Cebuana Lhuillier won over JP Morgan for the second time after a crushing 80-41 score last October 22 at the Zone in Makati City.

Leading MVP candidate Mark Trinidad led the way for Cebuana Lhuillier as he scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds with three steals as early as the first quarter. It was sweet sailing all throughout as Cebuana Lhuillier coasted to the win despite shooting an awful nine percent from beyond the arch. JP Morgan did no better as they made only 3 out of eleven attempts for a misly 27% three-point shooting percentage.

Veteran forward Melchor Jaluag chipped in 14 points and four rebounds behind a perfect shooting night to cap a fourth quarter bubble that saw Cebuana Lhuillier win their fourth straight game in as many outings.

“We had a good start, our shooting was very sharp (in the shaded lane), and our hard practice the day before was very helpful,” Cebuana forward Darius Barut explained.

Ironically, JP Morgan actually outrebounded Cebuana Lhuillier, 39-38 during the match. Cebuana Lhuillier’s three-point shooting was also nowhere near its previous conferences’ percentages. But what really solidified the Cebuana Lhuillier defense was their potent full court pressure that saw JP Morgan commit 21 turnovers as opposed to the former’s six. JP Morgan also failed to capitalize on their defensive stops as the Cebuana Lhuillier big men converted 33 of their 46 attempts in the shaded lane to overcome their poor three-point shooting.

“Sa tingin ko, malaki yung natutulong ng sports psychology sa atin kasi kahit gaano kahirap training nakakayanan natin gaya lang din sa sinasabi ni Coach na dapat laging focused dun sa ginagawa natin,” Jaluag added. Incidentally, Jaluag is among the core members of the team who first won the championship back in 2007 when they first won an MCBL title while still playing in Division B.

“Iba talaga yung samahan ng team ngayon kasi nagtutulungan lahat at kung malas yung isa, merong nag-step up at yung hindi maganda nilalaro, nire-remind lang and encourage para bumalik sa focus,” he remarked.

Cebuana Lhuillier hopes to continue their winning streak when they face Hewlett-Packard on October 29 and get closer to an elimination round showdown with NCO who is having their own run after finishing third in the previous conference.

The Scores:

Cebuana Lhuillier 80 – Trinidad 16, Jaluag 14, Hostellero 7, Balasote 6, Nerecina 6, Bernaldo 4, Barut 4, Ebarle 4, Toor 3, Quiro 3, Bagares 3, Lapiz 3, Ramos 3, Pagente 2, Cahilig 2.

JP Morgan Chase 41 – De la Cruz 9, Yap 6, Aquino 5, Uy 5, Cruz 4, Ochenge 3, Cabrales 2, Divinagracia 2, Henson 1, Medina 1, Mailum 1, Basalo 1, Cua 1.

Cebuana Lhuillier outlasts Unilever for second straight win
By Bhenjar Toor (October 8, 2011)

IT was like a preview of the 1st Conference-Finals in the first minutes of play; but whatever semblance disappeared when Cebuana Lhuillier made it clear that their nemesis will not see daylight unless they get out of Reyes gym literally last October 8 via 87-72 knockout.

After a close 26-24 count in the first quarter, Cebuana Lhuillier stepped on the gas to take a 47-37 halftime lead behind a balanced inside-outside game. Unilever main man Mike Gavino, despite another monster game in the shaded lane failed to carry on the fight for his team as Kenneth Balasote, Thomas John Washington, and Harold Hostellero took turns to defensively shackle the behemoth.

Mark Trinidad scored 28 points, grabbed six rebounds coupled with three steals and an assist to lead Cebuana Lhuillier to a second straight win. Tristan Pagente and Julian Bagares added 12 and 10 points, respectively, to help out in carrying Cebuana’s offense.

PJ Lhuillier President & CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier joined in the fray by scoring all his eight points in the third quarter to help establish a 67-49 cushion midway into the quarter to blow the game wide open despite attempted uprisings by last conference’s runner-up.

Ironically, Cebuana Lhuillier outrebounded a bigger Unilever squad, 52-43, to control the game from the second until the last quarter. Despite having more free throws, Unilever failed to capitalize on the fouls committed by the Defending Champion by letting the latter make more field goal attempts and convert 41% of their shots.

“The players are shooting much better this time and you can really observe from their body language that they want this win,” University of Santo Tomas (UST) Professor and Sports Psychologist Dr. Mariglo Camero said.

During the huddle, Cebuana Lhuillier chief tactician Rhuel “Beaujing” Acot reminded his players to keep Gavino off the shaded lane and to always run whenever there is an opportunity to offset Unilever’s size. Injured Unilever hot shot Mark Balneg was also limited to just two points while Richie Romero’s 21 points proved to be short to help in their cause.

The win puts Cebuana Lhuillier tied on top of the standings with idle NCO. They will face 2010 Second Conference finalist Accenture on October 16 with the latter still aching to break into the win column.

Cebuana Lhuillier – 87
Trinidad 28, Pagente 12, Bagares 10, Lhuillier 8, Ebarle 6, Bernaldo 6, Hostellero 5, Balasote 4, Lapiz 4, Ramos 2, Nerecina 2, Washington 0, Baldeo 0, Jaluag 0, Barut 0

Unilever – 72
Gavino 25, Romero 21, Frez 10, Masangkay 10, Balneg 2, Gregorio 2, Galvadores 2, Hechanova 0, Ang 0.

Cebuana Lhuillier crushes newcomer JP Morgan
By Bhenjar Toor (October 2, 2011)

Back-to-back champion Cebuana Lhuillier gave newcomer JP Morgan a very warm welcome by getting hot from the get-go to dominate a listless quintet and score a convincing 90-61 win behind a JP Morgan-dominated crowd.

The Defending Champion had a 12-4 opening salvo to take the game away as early as the first canto. Old reliables Mark Trinidad, Julian Bagares, and Trim Pagente connived to establish a 16-point lead early in the second quarter, 36-14 with the 2009 Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jaycee Bernaldo showing moments of brilliance as he hits timely baskets to keep the JP Morgan squad at bay. Bagares’ generalship was evident as he issued four assists, took two rebounds and two steals to spearhead the Cebuana Lhuillier offense.

Going into the third canto, playing Assistant Coach Albert Olaya, slotman Darius Barut and big men Kenneth Balasote, Harold Hostellero, and Ulysses Lapiz took the JP Morgan frontline as they battled for the rebounds and scored on second chance points to lead by as much as 30 going into the last minute of the quarter, 64-34.

Both teams actually struggled in the early goings of the game with both committing unforced errors and having low shooting percentages. Despite Pagente's 41 percent clip from the arc, Cebuana Lhuillier still shot a low 31 percent from the three-point range as a team. JP Morgan did not do any better as they settled for an 11 percent clip from beyond the arc as they struggled throughout the game offensively and defensively.

"The players were committing too many turnovers in the first quarter when they seem to be too lax and out of focus," University of Santo Tomas (UST) professor and Sports Psychologist Dr. Mariglo Vicente Camero observed."It was good that they controlled the boards to get lots of second chance points and passed the ball well to convert more baskets."

Dr. Camero also noted that what turned the game around was the system the team was trying to enforce."It worked well for Cebuana Lhuillier that they passed the ball more than come out with individual plays to open up teammates," she opined.

JP Morgan tried to make a comeback in the last quarter, but Cebuana Lhuillier simply refused to give an inch as they poured their best offensive prowess to close out the game in aconvincing fashion and make a statement.

The 33-year old Jaycee Bernaldo made crucial shots despite the presence of defenders attempting to block his shots.

"Inspirado lang naman ako lagi dahil din sa mga teammates ko kaya naman laging 100 percent ang binibigay ko sa game and practice," Bernaldo shared as he recounts how he consistently attends practice despite the distance between Manila and Bataan just so he can join the team and keep himself in shape. "Naalala ko kasi yung sinabi ni Sir Jean na ayaw niyang natatalo at kung matalo man, lumalaban pa rin tayo," he added.

Bernaldo also pointed out that sports psychology has really helped him a lot to stay focus and determined. "Malaki naitulong ng sports psychology kasi naging malakas yung loob ko at hindi ako natatakot kahit sino makatapat natin," said the 2009 MVP.

With tougher games ahead, Cebuana Lhuillier has become more determined to prove that they are still the team to beat. "Nung natalo tayo sa Unilever last conference during the finals, talagang talo tayo, but we made up for it in the finals. It only means that we just need to focus and practice hard to get used to our system and win all our games," Cebuana Lhuillier Head Coach Beaujing Acot reminded his players as they prepare for their next game versus First Conference runner-up Unilever.

Cebuana Lhuillier, however, remains wary of the unpredictable Unilever squad which saw bigman Michael Gavino grab 20 rebounds couple with 13 points on a losing effort with Richie Romero scoring a game high 27 points with four rebounds, four steals, and 2 steals on a losing 72-78 effort versus NCO

"Cebuana Lhuillier should improve their shooting to be able to maintain their winning streak," Dr. Camero said.

"The team's defensive plays were good but they have to avoid fouling and just stick to the system so they can close out the tournament on a winning note," she added.

Score box:

Cebuana Lhuillier – 90

Trinidad 19, Pagente 17, Olaya 10, Balasote 7, Jaluag 6, Bernaldo 6, Quiro 6, Toor 5, Hostellero 4, Ramos 4, Washington 2, Barut 2, Cahilig 2, Bagares 0, Ebarle 0, Nerecina 0, Lapiz 0.

JP Morgan Chase – 61

De la Cruz 16, Aquino 7, Quiogue 7, Cabrera 6, Yap 5, Uy 5, Chua 5, Henson 3, Cabrales 2, Medina 0, Basalo 0, Bautista 0, Gonzales Jr. 0, Divinagracia 0, Astorga 0.

Accenture Knights Hailed 2011 MCBL Corporate Basketball Champions!

Last July 16, 2011, our very own BPO Basketball Team, the Accenture Knights, took home its second MPG Corporate Basketball League (MCBL) championship for Division B. After winning both Divisions B and C championships in 2009, the Knights claimed the glory once again as they bested Thomson Reuters with a final score of 58-53 in a very tightly contested match.

Both teams put the pressure on right away, as Thomson Reuters clamped down on the Knight’s starting unit’s offense to take the quarter with a very low score of 13-11. Thomson Reuters continued to muscle in and bully the Knights in the second quarter, gaining the upper hand by the end of the first half with a three-point lead (31-28), despite the heroic efforts from sixth man Arnel Urias (8 points, 4 steals). But the Knights were resilient; a team effort with punishing defense was sparked by their second unit swing man Richard “Chao” Castillo (9 points, 3 steals), boosting the team’s spirit and enabling the Knights to gain the lead by the end of the third quarter (48-41).

The Knights were determined to take this one home. They made a run of their own in the last three minutes of the game for a lead of 10 points with one minute to go. Thomson Reuters tried hard in the last minute to catch up, but Roel Chacon sank two free throws in the dying seconds of the game to put the team a safe distance from the competition, sealing the victory. “We are again the best in corporate basketball in the MCBL world,” said Head Coach Charles Montecillo. “The boys worked hard all season long and learned to work as a team to get to where we are. They fought with passion and I am very proud of them. I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
The Knights ended the season with a perfect record of 8-0, showing everyone that they are the best of the best in the division.

CEBUANA LHUILLIER bags first back-to-back MCBL title
By Bhenjar Toor

With relentless full court pressure and prolific shooting of Trim Pagente from behind the arc, Cebuana Lhuillier bagged their consecutive MCBL title, defeating Unilever-Rexona via 83-67 decision last July 16 at the Northeast Greenhills Association (NEGA) basketball gym.

After gaining a four-point lead in the first minutes of the game, Unilever-Rexona fell short as Harold Hostellero, Ulysses Lapiz, Thomas John Washington, Albert Olaya, and Kenneth Balasote took turns shadowing Unilever top gun Mike Gavino by clogging the shaded lane to repulse the dominant Center who still managed to eke out 9 points, 9 rebounds, and a steal.

“It was obvious that the Cebuana Lhuillier players were in high spirits, were really determined to win, and were very cohesive as a team that was why they were able to really make sure that this won’t slip their hands,” said UST Professor and Sports Psychologist Dr. Mariglo Vicente Camero.

“The goal to win back-to-back after 4 straight finals appearances in the last two years and a united goal setting were really evident before and during the semis and finals games,” Dr. Camero added noting that the quick shuffling of players kept everyone very much into it; thus, enabling the team to consistently field fresh legs.

Cebuana Lhuillier fell behind in the early goings but managed to recover despite the tough defensive stance of Unilever-Rexona. Cebuana Lhuillier rookie guard Pagente ignited the crucial first half run to sizzle with 29 points, 5 assists, and 5 steals.

“Nung una talaga, gusto ko lang dumepensa, pero dahil libre kaya tinira ko na at siguro swerte lang,” said Pagente, who at one point made four consecutive three-point shots. “Masarap pakiramdam magchampion,” he added.

Defense to win

Cebuana Lhuillier Head Coach Rhuel “Beaujing” Acot emphasized that the key to their decisive run was the team’s defense. “We really wanted to keep on putting pressure on the opposing players since we know that Balneg and Gavino can score and rebound a lot that was why I made sure t-hat our back court and front court defenders will really make it difficult for them,” he remarked.

At one point, Cebuana Lhuillier seemed to relax a bit after leading by as much as 10 points, 25-15, with Unilever-Rexona capitalizing on it to close the gap to three. “Syempre, as part of team and game management, nag-zone tayo nung second quarter para naman hindi masunog yung mga players natin kakadepensa ng full court,” Coach Beaujing explained.

Despite Cebuana Lhuillier’s offensive lapses and their repeated attempts to make a comeback, Unilever- Rexona failed to seize the opportunity to score, finishing the third quarter still behind by six, 68-62.

Four-year veteran and former MVP Jaycee Bernaldo said that the team’s focus and dedication helped them keep their composure even if Unilever’s shooters started to find their mark in the latter part of the third quarter. Bernaldo, who travels from Bataan to Manila for team practices and games, was a picture of persistence as he scored 6 points and grabbed 2 rebounds with a steal. His hassle plays contributed a lot to contain Unilever hot shot Mark Balneg.

Play to victory

Manning the shaded lane and posing a tough challenge on Unilever’s big men, Thomas John Washington scored six points coupled with six rebounds in the most crucial stretch of the fourth quarter to help Cebuana Lhuillier pull away by 16 points in the last three minutes of the contest.

Julian Bagares, who had a game high eight assists, was supported by Balasote and Gino Agrante who grabbed eight and nine rebounds, respectively. Mark Trinidad’s 19 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and a steal lifted the team during a challenging stretch to help the champions beat their elimination round tormentor as he attacked Gavino’s defense to force him into early foul trouble.

Unilever-Rexona squad had 14 turnovers while Cebuana Lhuillier had nine. This allowed the latter to score in binge. The rebounding department was even but the low scoring output from Balneg proved to be the catalyst for Cebuana Lhuillier to snare the crown for the second straight conference.

“Their players got tired because we kept on shuffling our players and that helped us have that character of not giving them any inch,” Coach Beaujing noted as the Cebuana Lhuillier quintet held their own against the vaunted Unilever inside game. “I really made sure that they pushed Gavino away from his comfort zone and the players responded by playing tough defense all the time,” he elucidated.

Cebuana Lhuillier capped the conference with a first back-to-back title, their fourth overall since joining the league.

Scores:

Cebuana Lhuillier – 83
Pagente 29, Trinidad 19, Bagares 7, Bernaldo 6, Agrante 6, Washington 6, Olaya 6, Hostellero 2, Balasote 2.

Unilever-Rexona – 67
Frez 17, Romero 14, Dela Cruz 10, Masangkay 10, Gavino 9, Balneg, 6, Gregorio 1.

Cebuana Lhuillier barges into MCBL finals; eyes first back-to-back title versus Unilever
By Bhenjar Toor

DEFENDING CHAMPION CEBUANA LHUILLIER disposed off the gritty Accenture Five, 86-78, last July 10 at the Zone in Malugay, Makati to arrange a winner-take-all finals duel with elimination round tormentor Unilever - Rexona, which booked the first finals seat via sweep.

Accenture, which willed its way into the do-or-die showdown with the Defending Champions, saw its bid blow air as the Cebuana Lhuillier defenders put on the hand-cuffs on MVP contender and high scoring Leopoldo Naluz and his ward to lead by as much as 20 going into the final quarter, 68-48. But Naluz and the Accenture gunners had other things in mind.

The Accenture squad refused to go silently into the night by uncorking a 30-17 run in the closing quarter, which proved futile as Cebuana Lhuillier made key defensive plays in the crucial stretch of the game and escape the last minute scare hoisted by last conference's runners-up.

"Accenture improved tremendously from the last game we played with them during the elimination round. They managed to bring down the lead to just three points in the last 54 seconds of the game," Cebuana Lhuillier Head Coach Rhuel "Beaujing" Acot said.

"But we stayed composed until the end of the game to seal the win and get the last spot for the finals showdown with Unilever," he added noting how the team regrouped to repulse the sweet-shooting Accenture squad.

Focus key to winning crucial games

Cebuana Lhuillier Basketball Team Sports Psychologist and UST Psychology Professor Dr. Mariglo Camero said that the players seem to be uptight in the early goings when they missed easy lay-ups and were toe-to-toe with Accenture in the defensive and offensive end. "The players must stay focused even if the opponent jumped the gun on them and execute base on what the head coach has instructed," she intimated. "It was really good that Cebuana Lhuillier's plays allow everyone to play up tempo basketball since that seems to be their key to winning most of their games."

Dr. Camero noted that even if the Cebuana Lhuillier faced different challenges along the way, the players always find a way to respond even in the last minute to salvage a victory. "The Coach has done a great job in making sure everybody understood the plays, defensively and offensively, and I can see that everybody's mindset is really to work hard and run the opponents to the ground."

"The team has good chemistry now compared to the early goings of the tournament and that is because they are now able to focus on one goal and away from other distractions that may have been the cause why one game was lost when the team could have won it outright."

It's payback time

"We could have won that game versus Unilever during the elimination round, but then losing can only make things more beautiful once we are able to prove to everyone that they can never underestimate the heart of the Cebuana Lhuillier players," a calm but jubilant Acot congratulated the team after the crucial win versus Accenture. "That they can never underestimate the heart of a champion."

Incidentally, Cebuana Lhuillier, which won the 2009 and 2010 Second Conference titles, has never won a back-to-back title and has not captured a First Conference diadem since joining the league.

"This would be a good time to break the jinx and prove to everyone that our titles are no flukes," Acot said with much conviction. "We should go all out and do our best if not exceed everybody's expectations by beating Unilever and winning our first back-to-back title."

True to form, Cebuana Lhuilliers Jaycee Bernaldo, Harold Hostellero, Michael Nerecina, and Ulysses Lapiz have joined the battle with Julian Bagares and Mark Trinidad providing backcourt support to the old reliables leading the foray of old warriors to what could be the most awaited MCBL showdown of the year. Unilever-Rexona, on the other hand, will be bannered by former Ginebra slotman Mike Gavino.

Cebuana Lhuillier will try to cap their championship run on Saturday at Northeast Greenhills Basketball Gym with a win and finally get their first back-to-back title since joining the league in 2009.

Cebuana Lhuillier escapes gritty Accenture five
By Bhenjar Toor

CEBUANA LHUILLIER escaped a hard-fighting Accenture five to score a close win, 69-62, and open their bid for a back-to-back championship last May 14 at the Zone in Makati.

Last conference's finalists opened the first quarter by firing in all cylinders in a battle that may serve as a preview of another finals duel. It became more intense when Cebuana Lhuillier guard Trim Pagente was thrown out after he hit Accenture skipper Morel Reyes with his elbow when the latter triggered the incident by pushing Pagente when he went for a lay-up.

With 12 lead changes and 5 deadlocks, both protagonists refused to budge until Accenture seized the lead at the half, 38-35.

Assistant playing Coach Albert Olaya shuffled the players by group to sustain the team's balanced attack before unleashing a relentless 17-2 bomb in the middle of the third canto to put enough lead cushion going into the last three minutes.

Accenture, however, refused to call it a night and went on a 15-2 rampage to come within 7 points in the closing minute.

The players' shooting seems to be out of sync and the players seem to be a bit tight. Cebuana Lhuillier should try to do more shooting drills to make them more deadly and more accurate on the court when facing an opponent like Accenture,' UST Professor and Sports Psychologist Dr. Mariglo Vicente Camero remarked as she closely observed the determined but erratic plays in the early goings of the game. This was reiterated by Olaya during one of the team huddles as he reminded the players to pass the ball more so that the players can have more attempts since that may eventually trickle in.

It is all right if you miss. Just make sure you don't commit errors in passing and try to shoot the ball when you are free so you can get your rhythm,' he stressed to the team who at one point was scoreless for three minutes.

The game saw a balanced offensive attack from the Cebuana Lhuillier squad with their full court press doing the trick in the second half. If the team brushes off the rust, Cebuana Lhuillier may be on track to a first back-to-back title since joining the league in 2007.

Scores:

Cebuana Lhuillier, 69 - Trinidad 21, Olaya 10, Washington 9, Bernaldo 8, Barut 7, Bernados 2, Jaluag 2, Agrante 5, Ramos 2, Ebarle 2, Hostellero 1, Bagares 0, Lapiz 0, Toor 0, Nerecina o, Baldeo 0,

Accenture, 62 - Naluz 16, Ching 14, Santos 9, Paa 8, Reyes 7, Errington 4, Ferrera 2, Imperial 2, Bautista 0

Logica wins MCBL second conference title
by Gilbert C. Casado

Logica Philippines made basketball history on December 4, 2010 at the Northeast Greenhills Association (NEGA) basketball gym, edging out Chevron in the Division C championship game of the MPG Corporate Basketball League’s (MCBL) second conference.

Logica entered the Finals game in high spirits, coming from a nerve-racking 72-71 overtime win in the semifinals against league top-seeded, Elite Surveyors, on November 27.

The Finals’ first quarter action was defined with tough defense executed by both squads as the first hoop went in in over a minute, with Logica drawing first blood. Logica’s stingy defense prevailed in the early goings of the game, limiting Chevron to make their first basket only after 4:29 minutes of play. Center Florentino Cabang and power forward Reynold Gorospe provided the strong interior defense for Logica while guards Raymond Esguerra and Rodel Rianzares and forward Junner Bucod helmed Logica’s offense to finish the quarter with an 11-7 lead.

Defense still worked for Logica in the second canto of play. However, not much points poured in as both teams struggled to find their offense for 7 minutes of game time. Rianzares was the frontman for offense while Cabang dominated the boards as Logica kept Chevron at bay, 16-11, heading to the halftime.

The game only became more of a championship match in the third quarter with the opponent catching up in the score board. Chevron retaliated with point after point, capitalizing mainly on Logica’s defense collapse and a couple of miscues. The quarter ended 27-25, in favor of Logica.

Bucod fire-started Logica’s offensive rally in the final chapter of the game, scoring 7 straight points that includes a difficult fade away shot that excited the Logica crowd. The match became a seesaw battle of some sort with Chevron forcing a second deadlock, 33-all, with 3 minutes left in the game. It was then when Bucod took matter into his hands, attacking the basket relentlessly and scored from a drive and a split charity. Bucod’s heroics gave Logica a 36-33 edge, and Logica never looked back. The final buzzer sounded with Logica winning its first championship crown since joining the league in 2007.

The Finals victory caps Logica’s 6 wins in 8 outings in the regular season.

When asked about his stellar double-double performance of 14 points and 10 rebounds in the game, Bucod could only say, “Someone has to step up,” adding, “It’s the championship game, and we only have one chance.”

Honors were given to two of the Logica cagers after the game. Cabang, who led the division in the statistical race, won the Most Valuable Player plum, Most Defensive Player of the Conference, and was awarded Best Center in the Mythical Selection alongside Rianzares, who was awarded Best Guard.

With this feat, team captain Brian Infante said, “We’re just happy with this win. It’s history.”

This article was published on the January 2011 edition of Linked, the official newsletter of Logica Philippines. Republished with the consent of the author.