MLKP Niños, MisOr Meteors bank on new recruits to chalk up victories in Liga V hoop

Games today:

Xavier University Gymnasium

4 p.m. – MP Gen-San Warriors vs. M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños

6 p.m. – Misamis Oriental Meteors vs. Cebu Landmasters RDAK-Mandaue

Newly acquired players immediately made an impact for the defending national champions M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños and the Misamis Oriental Meteors in their respective matches in in the sixth and final leg of the SMC Liga Pilipinas V at the Xavier University gym in Cagayan de Oro City.

The Niños finally got back against their nemesis, the Mandaue-Cebu Landmasters/RDAK, with a 68-59 win while the Meteors blasted the GenSan-MP Warriors, 95-70.

The Niños unveiled a new set of players to come away with their first win over the Landmasters this season in four attempts. The Niños scored the final 13 points of the contest to overhaul a four-point deficit in the last five minutes of play.

Newly acquired Ogie Menor started the game-ending rampage with a three-pointer before D-League MVP Allein Maliksi and Bogs Raymundo shot in their own threes at the two-minute mark to pad the lead even further. M. Lhuillier turned up their defense and Maliksi and Ian Saladaga added a free throw each before the former capped off his brilliant night with a long trifecta at the buzzer.

Maliksi debuted with 14 points and six rebounds.

Parading five newly-acquired players, the Meteors of Gov. Oscar S. Moreno raced to an 8-0 lead and never looked back. The Meteors have Cebuano stalwarts, Alfred Gerilla and Ardy Larong in their stead along with the comebacking Mark Moreno, Rudy Lingganay and Leimar Navarro.