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Harbour Centre extends dynasty
by Rey
Lachica
BATANGAS CITY -- Harbour Centre extended its dynasty by
winning the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup in grand fashion
-- yesterday -- thanks again to another stretch of
brilliance from the league's three-time Most Valuable
Player.
With Jason Castro fuelling a big surge in the second
quarter, Harbour Centre knocked down Hapee Toothpaste,
86-73, to stretch its amazing championship run to five
before a huge, roaring crowd at the Batangas City Sports
Center here.
In a fitting farewell to a remarkable amateur career, the
5-foot-9 Castro, who will be playing for the Singapore
Slingers starting in August, tallied 13 points, nine assists
and three rebounds in a big follow-up to his 28-point
performance in Game 3.
A big explosion midway in the second quarter and a strong
finish was what Harbour Centre all needed to wrap up the
best-of-five series, 3-1. With Harbour trailing, 22-24,
Castro scored two free throws to spark a bristling 19-0 run
that gave the Batang Pier a 41-26 lead at the break. The
Complete Protectors lapsed into turnovers against Harbour's
pesky defense. The Batang Pier padded their lead to 22,
59-37, as Boyet Bautista, Sol Mercado, Jeff Chan and Jerwin
Gaco caught fire.
Hapee, also beaten by Harbour Centre in two previous
championships, managed to cut Harbour's lead to 48-59, but
that was the nearest it could get. For his splendid showing
in the series, Castro also clinched the Finals MVP trophy.
"Our aggressiveness from start to finish paid off. I told
the boys that only way to beat Hapee is to play aggressive
in both ends of the court," Harbour coach Jorge Gallent
said. "This is perhaps my sweetest win so far."
Hapee, still without a title since winning back-to-back
championships in the 2003-04 season, took Game 1, 74-73, but
Harbour Centre won the next three games to become the
fastest team in league history to win five straight
championships.
Batang Pier team owner Mikee Romero, Team Manager Erick
Arejola and Head Coach Jorge Gallent lead the Harbour Centre
Batang Pier in celebrating their unprecedented 5th straight
Philippine Basketball League (PBL) title by routing Hapee
Toothpaste 86-73 in Game 4 of the Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup
Finals
"This title is doubly sweet," said a jubilant Harbour owner
Mikee Romero, wearing his lucky green polo short. "This is
the reward for their hard work and patience."
Likewise, the win boosted Harbour Centre's tag as the
greatest team in recent history. It won its fifth straight
title in only seven conferences in the league.
Castro was held to just four points in the first quarter but
played like a wounded tiger in the last six minutes of the
second quarter where he scattered seven points, including
two free throws that sparked that vicious run. The pro-bound
cager was equally impressive at the defensive end, pulling
off two steals. He also finished the half with six assists
and two rebounds.
While Harbour showed great resolve in that stretch, Hapee
was a complete opposite. After only two quarters, they
already committed 15 errors against only five for the Batang
Pier. Chan, one of five Habour players who scored in double
figures, was named as the Pivotal Player of the series. He
scored 10 points, most of them came in the second period.
With Castro and Sol Mercado alternated in shadowing Gabe
Norwood, the 6-foot-5 Fil-Am was reduced to a mere spectator
in the first half. He scored only six points.
Meantime, Harbour Centre's Ty Tang was the last player given
a special Commissioner's Choice Award for his charitable
gesture. For giving back his allowances and much of his
scholarship grant and making those same funds available for
the use of others, Tang received a Civic Consciousness Award
from Commissioner Chino Trinidad during halftime.
The Scores:
HARBOUR 86 -- Bautista 16, Castro 13, Alonzo 11, Chan 10,
Gaco 10, Vergara 9, Mercado 7, Fernandez 7, Asoro 2, Belga
1, Tang 0, Gamboa 0.
HAPEE 73 -- Rodriguez 18, Norwood 16, Juntilla 14, Saguindel
14, Espiritu 3, Daa 3, Borboran 3, Viray 2, Cruz 0, Quinday
0, Tan 0, Mercado 0, Grijaldo 0.
Quarters: 14-13, 41-26; 65-50; 86-73.
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