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| Dylan Ababou Thanks to PBA for the photo |
BARAKO BULL WIN LED BY ABABOU
Seemingly showing its true potential in its second game in the season, Barako Bull checked a long
12-game slump with an 88-75 drubbing of Barangay Ginebra, 88-75, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the
Araneta Coliseum Friday night.
Tapped in to play his first game in the pros, Dylan Ababou made his presence felt and helped the
Lina Group franchise end the long, lonely losing skein dating back to the 2011 Commissioner’s Cup.
Another rookie Allein Maliksi, transferees Willie Miller and Mick Pennisi, and old hands Leo Najorda
and Paul Artadi also got going as the Energy beat the Kings for the first time in their last four
meetings.
The Energy caught up with the B-Meg Llamados, the Meralco Bolts and the Powerade Tigers at 1-1 while
the Kings went down to 1-2.
“The guys seemed to have got into the groove already,” said coach Junel Baculi whose chargers
dropped their tournament debut versus Petron.
“We’re a bit disorganized against Petron. The team is a mixed of veterans and rookies, and
they’re adjusting to one another,” Baculi added. “We challenged the guys and they seemed to
step on the plate.”
Baculi lauded his boys and made special mention of Ababou who top scored with 20 points.
“He surprised me a bit. I was expecting him to score only eight to 10,” said Baculi of their
prized recruit from Santo Tomas U.
“I didn’t use him in the Petron game as he’s not yet acclimatized to our system then. Mabilis
syang naka-adjust so we utilized him now. He showed he’s an intelligent player,” Baculi added.
Ababou, who had his training with Smart Gilas Pilipinas, debuted in the pros with aplomb, making all
his first seven field-goal shots.
Maliksi, the PBA D-League Season 1 MVP, had his moment, firing away nine points to help Barako take
a 70-54 spread at the end of the third period.
The Energy stayed intact through to the finish thus completing a convincing victory.
Maliksi, drafted by the team ahead of Ababou (10th) at eighth, finished with 13 points and eight
rebounds while Najorda, Artadi and Pennisi chipped in 12 points each.
Up against his most previous team, Miller logged seven points, seven assists, four points and three
steals.
Towards the end of the third quarter, the two-time MVP awardee became the 24th player in league
history to accumulate 2,000 assists
“Most of my players want to prove something. And they decided to stop talking and instead step on
the plate,” said Baculi.
Mark Caguioa led all scorers with 22 points while Rob Labagala added 12. Curiously, the two players
led Ginebra in scoring coming off the bench. (SB)
The scores:
BARAKO 88 - Ababou 20, Maliksi 13, Najorda 12, Artadi 12, Pennisi 12, Arboleda 5, Miller 4, Allado
4, Pena 4, Salvador 2, Avenido 0.
GINEBRA 75 - Caguioa 22, Labagala 12, Canaleta 7, Tubid 7, Mamaril 6, Cortez 6, Helterbrand 5, Intal
3, Villanueva 3, Wilson W. 2, Wilson J. 2, De Ocampo 0.
Quarterscores: 21-20, 42-38, 70-54, 88-75
Source : PBA Official Website
TALK AND TEXT BEATS RAIN OR SHINE
TALK ‘N Text came up with a splendid second half to stop Rain or Shine’s winning run with a
107-98 victory and grab a share of the lead Friday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta
Coliseum.
Harvey Carey, Ryan Reyes and Jayson Castro alternately took the lead for the Tropang Texters in the
last two periods that had them unleashing one mini-run after another to fully quash the Elasto
Painters’ challenge.
By the time the smoke caused by TNT’s final surge cleared, it was irrevocably ahead, 99-85, and it
went on to cruise to its second win in as many games that drew it alongside idle leader Petron
Blaze.
It marked the third straight time Rain or Shine suffered its first defeat of the conference at the
hands of TNT as the E-Painters dropped to a 2-1 win-loss slate.
Main reason was Carey exploding for a game-high 28 points, just two shy of his career-best
established five seasons ago and included a triple that not only ended his string of missed treys at
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“We were fortunate enough to have a good scoring game from Harvey, whom we don’t even have a
single play for. That was the difference in tonight’s ballgame,” said Talk ‘N Text head coach
Chot Reyes of the burly forward who also pulled down 14 rebounds, eight off the offensive boards.
Ryan Reyes wound up with 19 points, while Castro added 18, anchored on 4-of-5 three-point shooting,
and also dished off 10 assists.
Larry Fonacier scored 13 points and Jared Dillinger led the Talk 'N Text bench’s significant
contributions with 11 markers, all helping make up for Japeth Aguilar scoring only seven points and
hauling down three rebounds after 27 and eight in a 98-80 win over Meralco a week before.
“It was kind of expected,” said Reyes. “We knew he will be scouted, and Rain or Shine really
prepared for him. I felt coach Yeng did a great job putting (Ronnie) Matias on him since it took
away any speed advantage on Japeth’s part. They also played physical on him.”
For the third straight game, rookie Paul Lee led Rain or Shine with 17 points. But he had to scrape
and scratch for each of those as the Tropang Texters threw multiple defenders against him.
“We wanted to make sure we always have an extra guy on Paul Lee,” said the Talk N Text mentor.
“Still, he scored 17 points. He’s really a special player.”
Beau Belga added 16 points and 10 rebounds for the E-Painters while five of the eight other players
fielded in by coach Yeng Guiao scored at least 10 points. But all those went for naught when the
entire team could not keep pace with Talk 'N Text in the homestretch that mattered most.
Reyes believed it was his players refusing to lose that also helped tide them over.
“We’re basically just limping along,” he said. “My players are getting tired, but they were
still gutting it out in the end. We do not have our regular rotation yet, but as long as we get
contributions from everybody, not only in scoring, then our chances can get better.”
They definitely should once Kelly Williams and Jimmy Alapag return from a US vacation and join
Ranidel de Ocampo back on the team on Oct. 20.
A string of six straight charities by the Tropang Texters wiped out Rain or Shine’s 55-49 lead
before Carey’s triple, his first since his rookie season in 2003, broke the sixth and last tie at
55, still 8:07 left in the third.
With Lee picking up his fourth foul and seated at the 6:40 mark of the third, Talk 'N Text
continued its splurges with Carey and Castro leading a balanced attack that had them going into the
final canto with a 74-69 spread.
The Tropang Texters were just ahead by three when Reyes, Carey and Castro starred in a massive 20-9
assault that made it a 14-point game going into the final 2:45. (NC)
The scores:
TALK N' TEXT 107 - Carey 28, Reyes 19, Castro 18, Fonacier 13, Dillinger 11, Aguilar 7, Peek 7, Aban
4, Raymundo 0, Lao 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 98 - Lee 17, Belga 16, Norwood 12, Cruz 11, Arana 11, Chan 10, Quinahan 10, Buenafe 7,
Matias 4, Rodriguez 0.
Quarterscores: 22-21, 47-48, 74-69, 107-98
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