BRUNEI. — The Harbour Centre-sponsored Philippine training
team suffered its second straight loss Wednesday night but not after giving Sta.
Lucia Realty a big scare in the Brunei Cup at the National Indoor Stadium here.
Unable to shake off the PBL stars, the Realtors went to
Nelbert Omolon and import Anthony Johnson in the stretch to score a 79-71 win
and clinch a berth in the knockout semifinals of the six-team tourney.
Sta. Lucia scored its third win in four games while the
Nationals slipped to 1-2.
The Nationals threatened to turn the game around when former
pro Ato Morano hit a huge basket that made it 69-75. But Omolon, who led the
Realtors with 23 points, completed a three-point play to repel the rally.
Despite the loss, coach Junel Baculi was satisfied with the
performance of his wards, saying: "We lost but you have to credit the boys for
not giving up. They showed they have a character.
"Iba talaga kapag may import ang kalaban mo. But I’m happy
with this kind of setback because we played the way we wanted it," said Baculi,
who is hoping to enlist Fil-Am Gabe Norwood when the country defends its title
in the SEA Games in December in Thailand.
Harbour Centre owner and amateur basketball project director
Mikee Romero also lauded the valiant effort of the Nationals, saying: "The boys
are improving and it showed as they gave the pros a tough time."
The Nationals, led by Morano and Jason Castro, had a fine start, taking a
19-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
