SPRING COOKING Oil-backed Laguna Spring toppled the Baguio Cardinals, 84-75, while Skygo-supported Tribu Sugbu (Cebu Tribes) ripped the Batangas 29ers, 82-71, Wednesday to show the way in the NBC (National Basketball Conference) national champioship.
Former NCAA most valuable player Ernani Epondulan and Mar Reyes combined for 40 points to power the Spring of NBC president Nathaniel "Tac’’ Padilla and Laguna Gov. Teresita "Ningning’’ Lazaro to their seventh win in 12 games at the University of Baguio gym.
Jojo Tangkay rediscovered his old form and joined hands with Jeffrey Sanders in leading the Tribes to a seven-game sweep of their home stand at the Cebu Coliseum.
Spring regained the North division lead in the tourney sponsored by Panasonic, Spring Cooking Oil, PCSO, Sulpicio Lines, Nature’s Spring Mineral Water, Cebu Ferries, Air Philippines, Supercat, Skygo Motorcycles, Trans-Asia, Accel and Molten.
The Tribes of businessmen Lito Gillamac Jr., Albert Tan and Dr. Kelly Viado broke away from a 38-38 halftime tie to lead 55-46 after Tangkay sank two triples and two free throws off Batangas coach Yong Garcia’s technical foul.
Sanders, who finished with 16 points, took over from Tangkay after that, pouring in 10 points in the fourth quarter as the Tribes improved their record to 9-1.