BATANGAS CITY—Harbour Center cemented its status as today’s most successful franchise in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).

Only in their seventh conference in the league, the Batang Pier claimed their fifth-straight crown after trashing Hapee Toothpaste, 86-73, in Game Four of the 2008 PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup finals, wrapping up the best-of-five series, 3-1, Wednesday night at the Batangas City Sports Center.

Jason Castro was again impressive in Game Four, tallying 13 points and dishing out nine assists, most of them in the crucial second period when Harbour Centre stole the game and the series from the Complete Protectors with a vicious 19-2 run.

The five-foot-nine Castro, the season’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) awardee, was also adjudged the Finals MVP in what could be his final game in the league. He will play as an import for the Singapore Slingers in the Australia-based National Basketball League this September.

Boyet Bautista had a repeat performance of his Game Two heroics, pacing the champions with 16 points. Chad Alonzo added 11, while Jeff Chan, the Pivotal Player of the series, and Jerwin Gaco each had 10 markers for Harbour Centre.

“This is very special because this is history. And the players showed their never-say-die attitude in the series,” said team owner Mikee Romero.

Harbour Centre now owns the reputation of having won five titles in such a short period of time the league. It now ranks third in terms of titles won to all-time leader Tanduay (seven) and Welcoat Paints (six). Harbour Centre coach Jorge Gallent was a member of that successful Tanduay team.

Castro picked up from where he left off in Game Three, igniting a furious run midway in the second quarter that allowed Harbour Centre to control the game.

The three-time MVP, who had 28 points in the 90-78 victory in Game Three, already had 11 markers, six assists and two steals, most of them he did in the second period when Harbour seized the momentum.                

Juntilla’s jumper made it 24-20 for Hapee, 4:44 left, but the Complete Protectors fell into a series of turnovers, 15, to be exact, in the first half, as Batang Pier finished that stage with a 19-2 spurt, mostly on breakaway lay-ups and turnover points, for a commanding 41-26 halftime lead.

Gabe Norwood actually had the last basket of the second quarter, but his alley-oop dunk off a feed from Mark Borboran was nullified as his slam came right after the buzzer sounded.

Meanwhile, the league handed the Civic Consciousness award to TY Tang of Harbour Centre for his charity work off the court. The five-foot-seven guard from De La Salle donated his allowances and much of his scholarship grant to his alma mater’s athletic fund.

A Euro 2008 Preview: Crowning the king of the Alps

Who are the odds-on favorites to win Euro 2008?

There’s the reigning World Cup champion Italy and the three other semifinalists Germany, Portugal and France. And all four teams find themselves in form and re-loaded for football’s second most prestigious competition.

One win away

SAN ANTONIO—The events of Tuesday night weren’t as indelible as the renowned “0.4” shot, but Derek Fisher was in the thick of another improbable victory against San Antonio.

MORE than three out of four people think Manny Pacquiao will win by knockout over David Diaz.

In a poll conducted on the boxer’s web site mannypacquiao.ph, nearly half of the respondents—46.5 percent, to be exact—said they believe Pacquiao will floor Diaz in the late rounds. Some 30 percent said Pacquiao will do it in the early stages.

SENATORS agreed to craft remedial legislation that would clarify the powers of the Games and Amusement Board (GAB) amid complaints against the GAB’s “undue interference” in the functions of duly recognized National Sports Associations (NSAs), such as the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP).

PHILIPPINE Christian University (PCU) will participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) this coming season after all.

SEVENTEEN gold medals are up for grabs as competition starts full throttle in the opening day of the 2008 Milo National Open track and field championships Thursday at the Rizal Coliseum track oval.

And then there were four.

From a survival cast consisting of the Lakers, the Nuggets, the Jazz, the Rockets, the Spurs, the Suns, the Hornets and the Mavs in the West; and the Celtics, the Hawks, the Cavaliers, the Wizards, the Magic, the Raptors, the Pistons and the Sixers in the East, the semifinal showdown has been limited to four: the Lakers and the Spurs in the West, the Celtics and the Pistons in the East.

BATANGAS CITY—Harbour Center cemented its status as today’s most successful franchise in the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).