The championship match, which was postponed for several weeks due to weather, ended with Cellular Pro ahead, 91-88.
Their lead scorer Rocyl Ritual stuck around long enough to score 36 points while Leo Itaas garnered 22 and Roy Hernandez earned 11.
Team MBI nearly secured the finals with an 80-74 lead eight minutes into final quarter. They slowly collapsed however, after Leo Galarse struck his fifth personal foul.
MBI struggled on a crippled offense, losing possession three times and allowing Ritual to score off a three-pointer.
A tight defense and three extra free throws from Roger Herrera and Leo Itaas eventually tied the game, 82-82.
Jeff Garcia, who also fouled out during OT, squeezed in MBI’s only basket in the fourth period’s final seconds.
Hernandez tallied three more points minutes while Itaas and Herrera shot back-to-back layups in the extra five minutes.
Team MBI’s problems grew worse as Melbert Delarama missed all his free throws and lost the ball to Itaas. Center Art Trajano mustered four points from offensive rebounds but it wasn’t enough to keep Cell Pro off the lead.
Ritual had earlier scored 14 of his 36 points to lift Cell Pro, 62-61 in the third quarter. Early in the first period, Itaas tallied eight of the team’s 18 points.
Galarse, Garcia, and Noel David’s scoring spree pushed the game in MBI’s favor at the start of the fourth period. All three players and Andy Viola and Ryan Cabrera were ejected by OT.
Itaas, Marvirick Rotap, and Hernandez also fouled out, leaving Cell Pro’s offense with Ritual and Jude Loste.
Cellular Pro eliminated semifinalist Sherwin Williams to reach the finals last month. Their roster also included: Josh and Phyli Norita, Eric Dulfo, Jay Guevara, and Gus Loste.
Leo Itaas was named the finals MVP shortly after the game. The regular season MVPs included Rommel Usi (Group A), Rodney Sacramento (Group B), and Jay Conception (Group C).
Itaas also claimed the pennant champion MVP title along with Noel David and Jun Tabora.
Other recognized individuals were Joseph Pena (Best in Block), Freddie Litulumar (Best in Rebound), Jomar Tengco (Best in Stealth), Ed Yalung (Best in Assist), and Jomar Diyco (Best in 3-Points).
Group A, B, and C’s pennant champions were MBI, Sherwin Williams, and Cell Pro, respectively.
Scores:
Cellular Pro 91 – R. Ritual 36, L. Itaas 22, R. Hernandez 11, R. Herrera 10, J. Loste 6, M. Rotap 4, D. Tibayan 2
MBI 88 – L. Galarse 37, N. David 21, A. Trajano 10, J. Garcia 9, A. Viola 6, M. Delarama 3, A. Cordero 1, M. Achas 1
Quarterscores: 19-18, 43-38, 61-62, 82-82, 88-91
