LUCENA CITY – Local folks of this city packed the Quezon Convention Center in anticipation of a Titans victory right at their turf.
They didn’t go home disappointed as the Quezon Titans pulled off a gripping 75-68 win in Game 3 and moved on threshold of winning the PSL President’s Cup best-of-five championship series late Saturday night.
The Titans can wrap up the series with another win at home and reward the entire province of Quezon with a championship on Tuesday’s Game 4.
Winning one at home didn’t come easy though for Quezon, which battled a depleted yet solid 10-man roster of Nueva Ecija.
A champion team in different leagues, the Capitals refused to budge in quickly and had the Titans reeling on the ropes.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t deliver the knockout blow as Quezon, generating more energy from the crowd, found the resolve when needed the most as Judel Fuentes stepped up when the game was on the line.
Engaged in a shooting duel with rival guard Chris Bitoon, Fuentes came all pumped up and knocked down 23 points, built around five three-point shots.
Fuentes had back-to-back treys in less than a minute span, sandwiching the triple hit from the corner by Bitoon, but the former Centro Escolar University Scorpion who led his team to a championship in the NCRAA four years ago, delivered the telling blow in the 1:24 mark of the final quarter and pushed the Titans up, 72-65.
Those baskets proved to be the dagger as the Titans went on to preserve the victory.
“First time kong maglaro dito, puno yung gym talaga,” said Fuentes. “Sana sa Game 4, andyan pa rin sila at nakasuporta sa amin at sana makuha naming yung goal namin na mag-champion.”
Quezon coach Eric Gonzlaes knows the basketball tradition of the province, which developed great coaches and players.
Among the notable champion coaches who came from Quezon were Leo Austria and Louie Alas.
“Yung Quezon maraming magagaling na coaches and players na nanggaling dito,” said Gonzales. “Talagang very passionate. Kapag sablay ang coach, talagang makakarinig ka. Pero isang bagay na Nakita ko, pagdating sa larangan ng basketball, they’re one and united. We continue to offer this game for them.”
