ILIGAN CITY — Nat Cruz scored the biggest shot of the night with barely a second left to help Firefly-Iligan nip the Toyota-Iloilo Warriors, 68-66, Thursday at the packed MSU-IIT gym here and arrange a best-of-three title showdown with defending champion Ozamiz Cotta in the 2007 Spring Cooking Oil-NBC National Cup basketball tournament.

Mayor Lawrence Cruz’s Crusaders and the Cotta Shrine cagers of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog open their series at 6 p.m. today at the Gov. Angel Medina Sr. gym in Ozamiz City.

Ozamiz is seeking its fourth straight crown in the tourney supported by Sulpicio Lines, Spring Cooking Oil, Yahoo Phils., San Miguel Beer, Caltex, Sun Cellular, Firefly Lightings, Trans Asia Shipping Lines, Molten, Nature’s Spring, Basketball TV, and Viva Prime Channel.

After trying the game for the last time at 65 with a split at the stripes with four seconds left, veteran Bong Morata grabbed the rebound and attempted. His shot was too strong, but the ball went to Cruz, who quickly put it in for only his second field goal of the night.

"This is sweet. Nat (Cruz) didn’t give up on the last play. It’s the best win for us so far in this conference," said Iligan mentor Eric Samson.

ILOILO 66 — Balgos 18, Senieres 16, Tan 11, Dedicatoria , Leonida 3, Guerrero 3, Sencil 2, Laborte 2, Guanco 2, Sina-on 0, Pelopero 0, Cortel 0, Tizon 0.

ILOILO 16 22 11 17 — 66