RP CENTENNIAL TEAM WINS JONES CUP CROWN
Taipei, Sept. 6, 1998 - The PBA Centennial Team zapped host Chinese-Taipei, 82-72, to win the 21st William Jones Cup International Basketball Tournament at the Taipei municipal gym.
Vergel Meneses presided upon the Centennial Team charge at the start of the second half and sparked the Nationals' sixth straight win in the tournament and into the championship.
Kenneth Duremdes again led all Centennial shooters with 22 points. Johnny Abarrientos and Marlou Aquino added a combined 26. Allan Caidic sank 10.
``At first, I was not really thinking about the championship,'' said coach Tim Cone. ``Our goal was just to get better every game and we did just that. This is only the first step and in terms of the big picture, this is just a small step for us.''
Filipino overseas contract workers in Taiwan came in droves and rallied solidly behind the Centennial Team and stormed into the court when the buzzer sounded to gather around their Filipino basketball heroes.
This is the second Jones Cup for the Philippines after Ron Jacobs first accomplished the feat in 1986 with a team backstopped by naturalized Americans Jeff Moore, Dennis Still and Chip Engelland and a local crew headed by Samboy Lim and Caidic.
PBA Commissioner Jun Bernardino, who monitored the game from the PBA office at the Cuneta Astrodome, congratulated the Centennial Team coaching staff and players for a job well done.
``Definitely, the win of the PBA Centennial Team is a victory for the Filipino people,'' Bernardino said. ``This is just the beginning of the road to the Asian Games, and what a way to start.''
Reported by: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 1998 by PHILIPPINE
HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
All rights reserved