By Robert Balajadia

The Harmon Loop Dental Toothfairies fought tooth and nail to defeat the MVP Stars in overtime 106-104 in the GBA’s first game of the best of three finals Sunday night at the UOG Calvo Field House.

Trailing for the entire game and by as many as 16 points until late in the 4th quarter, the Toothfairies got a huge serving from the three point line in the final period and overtime to stun MVP, overcoming a big 34-point night from Joe Blas.

“We relied on each other. We have a lot of guys who can do a lot of different things and so we closed quarters by playing team basketball which helped us get into rhythm. When we’re working the ball around we’re a hard team to stop,” said leading scorer Kirk Long.

The Toothfairies were led by Long’s 19 points, despite fouling out in the overtime, while getting 16 point efforts from Egardo Baza and Alfredo Royster. JP Cruz had 24 for MVP and teammate Darren Hechanova added 17. Hechanova was battling in-game injuries that eventually kept him out of the overtime period.

MVP held an 80-69 lead after a tip in from center Gerrard Jones before the Toothfairies began to spark a run. Swingman Edgardo Baza converted on a pair of layups and center Max Kepwe scored under the rim to get within 85-80 with just over three minutes left in the game.

A pair of free throws and a transition bucket from Blas gave MVP a 91-85 lead, but the Toothfairies got hot from the three point line. Alfredo Royster and Earvin Jose knocked in a pair of three pointers to tie the game at 91 with 45 seconds left to play.

Blas made good on another trip to the free throw line up 93-91, but Baza raced down the court and converted an and-one play to give the Toothfairies a chance to take their first lead of the night. Baza missed the free throw and both teams missed their final shot attempts to try and win the game.

In the overtime, the Toothfairies got big three pointers from Royster and James Stake to take a 106-100 lead in the games final 20 seconds. Cruz answered right back with a pump fake at the three-point line to set up a miraculous and-one play to get within 106-104 with just seven seconds to go.

MVP stole the inbound pass and had put up two shot attempts under the basket through some heavy contact, but no foul was called leaving the team furious at the finish.

The come from behind win was huge for the Toothfairies, who now look end the season with a title on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

“We have to limit fouls and rely on our defense because that’s what got us back in the game today,” said Long on looking ahead to Tuesday. “We need to try and hold them below 100 points next game and I think we’ll be alright.”