Coach of the Year p.38
Els’ worst round p.39
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n JOBANNIE C. TABADA Editor
‘Enemies’ in one team PETER June Simon, who led Fash to the title in the PBL Platinum’s Cup, now tries to blend with his amateur rivals James Carlo Yap, Ervin Sotto and Paul Artadi when they all suit up for the same team, Purefoods, in the PBA. Simon, who guided Fash to a dramatic 3-2 win over Yap, Sotto and Artadi’s Welcoat in finals series, was voted Most Valuable Player in the PBL regular season. But the MVP trophy was wrapped with controversy as Welcoat, including Yap, Sotto and Artadi, was very critical of the award. Evidently hurt, Simon cried before national television after he led Fash to a series-tying win in Game 4. Simon did have the last laugh at series’ end (see separate story). How deep is this apparent animosity, if any? How will they cope now that they’re in the same team? What will Purefoods do to ease the tension? When Purefoods plays CocaCola in a pre-season game tomorrow at the Cebu Coliseum, perhaps some questions will be answered. JCT
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2004
FASH, SIMON WIN ALL THE MARBLES Fash takes Game 5, title; Simon Finals MVP BY GLENN C. MICHELENA Sun.Star Correspondent
THE Welcoat Paint Masters forgot all about Larry Fonacier until Fonacier gunned them down in the homestretch.
FLYING A. Coke’s Johnny Abarrientos gets to test the topflight rookie guards of Purefoods in a preseason game tomorrow at the Cebu Coliseum. (SUN.STAR FOTO/AMPER CAMPAÑA)
With the title at stake, Fonacier plunged a dagger into the hearts of the Welcoat Paint Masters by knocking down a pair of clutch 3-pointers in the endgame that powered Fash Liquid Detergent to a 61-55 upset victory over Welcoat in Game 5 at the Philsports Arena yesterday. After failing to score even a single point in the first three quarters, Fonacier came alive in the final period, nailing a go-ahead triple with over two minutes to go. Another killing triple by Fonacier enabled Fash to take a 57-52 lead only 1:50 left. Fash drew on its renewed vigor to dominate the game from that point and bag the title. Fash’s go-to-guy, Peter June Simon, didn’t have his usual high-scoring game and finished with
only 12 points, but his stellar play the entire series won him the Finals MVP award – his second MVP award in the week after winning the season MVP on Tuesday. The series – which featured a classic hardcourt battle on the floor and a dramatic story off it – was easily the best finals series the league has seen in years. Even before the series started, tension between Fash and Welcoat warmed up when Paint Masters hotshot James Yap predicted a Welcoat sweep. It was in Game 3, however, that the animosity between both squads hit warp speed. After Simon won the season MVP award over Welcoat’s Jercules “Jojo” Tangkay (the statistical race leader), Welcoat staged a contemptuous on-court protest that led to the resignation of league commissioner Chino Trinidad.
Melody sounds good in Rose chess round 1 t
ROSE Pharmacy Women’s Tournament champion Melody Garcia showed she got game yesterday when Cebu’s top lady chess player racked up a round-one upset over Romel Asoque in the Rose pharmacy Monthly Active Chess Tournament-Open category at the Deep Blue D’ Woodpushers Café in SM City-Cebu. p. 38
CHESS INFINITUM, ANYONE? Two players are locked up in battle in a chess infinitum game, a side event of the Rose Pharmacy Chess Tournament at SM City, which winds up today. Chess infinitum is a variant of the standard chess game created by Cebuano chess patron and National Chess Federation of the Philippines Director Boojie Lim. (SUN.STAR FOTO/RUEL ROSILLO)