LOS BA?OS, Laguna?The second seed Trace-Laguna Stallions hung tough in the end to subdue the visiting seventh seed Smart-Pampanga Buddies, 62-60, and kick off the quarterfinals of the 2009 Smart Liga Pilipinas Conference II at the Stallions? gym of Trace College.

The win gave the Stallions a 1-0 advantage in their best-of-five series. Game 2 is scheduled once again in the Laguna homecourt.

With the Stallions on top by a point, 61-60, Glen Bolocon missed two possible insurance free throws with 15 seconds left. In the ensuing scramble, Robert Sanz tapped the ball to the waiting Alex Angeles at the 3-point line. After a few dribbles, Khiel Misa was forced to foul Angeles at the 11-second mark.

Angeles missed the first, but calmly made the second free throw. With no more timeouts left, the Buddies executed a hurried baseline inbound with Misa firing a long triple that missed.

?We needed to win this one. We have been off for a while and the rust somehow showed. But we know the Buddies will be back and we just have to play harder in Game 2,? Laguna head coach Nomar Isla said.

The Buddies under coach Allan Gregorio erected an 11-point lead in the third period but saw it slowly disappear after Isla pulled out 6?8? Samuel Ekwe and placed 6?3? Jay-Arr Estrada at center. The ploy worked as Angeles, Estrada, Bolocon, Jerwin Gaco and Axel Doruelo combined in the Stallions? comeback and Ekwe returned in the fourth period to restore the lead.

Jemal Vizcarra nailed a triple to threaten for the last time, 60-61. The Buddies quickly fouled Bolocon to stop the clock.

Meanwhile, the defending national champion and third seed M. Lhuillier-Cebu Ni?os begin the formal defense of their crown when they play Game 1 of their best-of-five quarterfinal series today against the sixth seed Ilocos Sur Bravehearts at the University of San Carlos-Main gym. Game time is at 6 p.m.

The Ni?os of Michel Lhuillier and coach Raul ?Yayoy? Alcoseba are heavily favored owing to their two wins over the Bravehearts this conference supported by Smart, ML Kwarta Padala, Air21, Accel, Burlington, Laptop Phoneshop Exchange, Nature?s Spring Water and Molten and sanctioned by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas.

The Ni?os won two games during the Ilocos Sur leg?87-84 in the preliminaries and 80-63 in the third-place game. In those two games, the Ni?os banked on sterling performances by Marlon Basco, Woodraw Enriquez, Bruce Dacia, Mark Ababon, Danny Aying and Ron Capati.