Faisal Steel Product Company Slashers thwarted an Al-Ittifaq Steel Product Corporate Angry Birds side that never wanted to quit Friday night, hacking out a thrilling 66-63 victory in Game 3 of the best-of-three finals to clinch the first Al Tuwairqi Cup championship at Al-Ittifaq Club here.
The Slashers were dragged into another pulsating finish by the Angry Birds and needed to close it out behind the vast experience of player-coach Ramon Hernandez in the last 60 seconds.
The former Agfa PBL guard scored 19 points and made 4-of-4 from the free-throw line giving the Slashers a 66-63 lead with 9.6 seconds remaining that paved the way for Slashers supporters to celebrate.
The series was a head-to-toe battle with no more than three points separating the two teams at the final buzzer. The Slashers outplayed the Angry Birds in Game 1 inovertime 87-85, but the corporate team turned back its rival 68-66 in Game 2.
Hernandez, who steered Al Tuwairqi basketball team to four championship crowns in the Eastern Province, won his fifth title as a coach.
“Every championship game is essential as a player and as a coach. We treat this game special because this has a distinct flavor especially to win the 1st Al Tuwairqi Cup”, Hernandez said in din of the celebration.
Honrado Garcia filled the absence of twins Roy and Rey Ortiz, named unanimously as the Most Valuable Player, helping Faisal Steel with 16 points, six assists and three steals. Rey Palcullo stepped up again to score 13 points while Richard Martinez, Manny Avellana, Rommel Tolentino, Xander Pielago and Gil Liberato had a combined 18 points.
Mark Millena, the expected Finals MVP awardee with an average of 35 points per game in the entire conference, could not single-handedly carry the fight for the Angry Birds. He finished with 26 points and four assists but got minimal help from his teammates. Mark Lopez scored 15, Harold Ambat contributed 10 points, Don Vergara, John Aguilar and Angelo Geroche totaled 13 points.
Named to the mythical 10 were Garcia, and twin brothers Roy and Rey Ortiz of Faisal Steel, Mark Millena and Don Vergara of the Corporate, Sherwin Balisi and Deejay Valmosena of Metal Recycling Mill, Joel Avero and Nixon Lorenzo of National Steel-Arab Steel team and frontline defender Rene Vic Jalop of Al Ittifaq Steel Product Company.
