Spring Oil posts third

LAST year’s runnerup Tagaytay-Spring Cooking Oil nipped slumping Quezon Villa Anita, 80-77, Sunday to assume solo leadership in the 2007 NBC National Cup basketball tournament at the Tolentino Sports Center in Tagaytay City.

The Cooking Oil Masters of NBC president Nathaniel “Tac” Padilla and league EVP Mayor Bambol Tolentino leaned on Nani Epondulan and Jeff Tajonera to post their third straight victory.

The Firefly/Iligan Crusaders scored a masterful 96-72 win over the visiting Montaña Pawnshop-Davao Jewelers to tie idle Valencia Golden Harvest for second place.

The Crusaders of Mayor Lawrence Cruz broke away in the payoff period enroute to their second victory in the tournament sponsored by Sulpicio Lines, Yahoo Philippines, Spring Cooking Oil, San Miguel Beer, Caltex, Sun Cellular, Firefly Lightings, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Basketball TV and Viva Prime Channel.

The scores:

Spring 80—Epondulan 19, Regalado 12, Mallari 11, Legaspi 7, Marquez 5, Salud 4, Bolocon 3, Reyes 3, Cuenca 0, Muñoz 0.

Quezon 77—Gahol 24, Mendoza 11, Buenaventura 11, Drio 10, Agapito 6, Veranga 6, de Guia 4, Malonzo 3, Gonzales 2, de Leon 0, Vilar 0, Zuniga 0.

Quarters: 23-19, 43-41, 59-59; 80-77.