Lions top Laguna leg of Liga

THE LAGUNA Golden Lions captured their home leg in the Liga Pilipinas V after getting past the Misamis Oriental Meteors, 94-92, late Saturday night at the San Luis Sports Complex in Sta. Cruz, Laguna.

The Golden Lions earned 10 points for the championship to vault them to third place in the overall tour standings with 13. The Meteors picked up five points for a total of 11.

The Lions were determined to make up for their miserable performance in the opening leg of this tournament held in Ilocos Sur, where they lost all of their games.

They did so, thanks to the stellar all around game of former University of Southern Philippines Foundation (USPF) standout, Glenn Bolocon, who scored 21 points and had seven rebounds to end up with the leg MVP award.

Laguna was in front the rest of the way but encountered some resistance from the Meteors in the second half.

They led, 70-60, heading to the final canto, but Egay Billones and Allan Salangsang presided over the Meteors’ final assault that cut their deficit to three, 79-82, with 4:24 left in the game.

Bryan Faundo and Bolocon bailed out the Lions with timely shots down the stretch. Bautista and Earn Saguindel sealed the victory from the free throw line.

Billones paced the Meteors with 20 markers followed by Ken Bono and Allan Salangsang, who both finished with 14 each.

In the battle for third Place, the MP Warriors of GenSan ended their tournament on a positive note by prevailing over the Ilocos Sur CS Tigers, 83-71. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio