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| James Yap Photo by PBA.ph |
Source : PBA Official Website
BMEG BLOWS POWERADE OUT
A LITTLE freedom can go a long way, as B-Meg head coach Tim Cone just pleasantly found out.
Allowing his players more leeway to create their own situations and differentiating from his usual
starting unit a bit, Cone was rewarded by the Llamados with a 97-80 win over Powerade Wednesday in
the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
PJ Simon was reverted back to his usual off-guard spot but still among B-Meg's starters and promptly
responded by starring on both ends of the court, scoring a game-high 21 points and anchoring some
fine defensive efforts.
"We decided to kind of shelf our unconventional lineup, which is not having a pure point guard. We
decided to change that today and that got everybody back into their comfort zone," related Cone, who
started Josh Urbiztondo as playmaker in lieu of Simon.
As a direct result, B-Meg improved its win-loss record to 2-3 and tied Powerade, which absorbed its
second straight setback.
James Yap added 20, the bulk coming in a first quarter breakaway, before the likes of rookie Mark
Barroca and Joe Devance joined in and helped get the job done.
All the while, Simon anchored the defense on Gary David and Marcio Lassiter before joining hands
with Urbiztondo in quashing the Tigers' fightback from as much as a 29-point deficit, earning
special mention from Cone.
"I thought PJ came out and became a committed defender. He did a great job on Gary and also Lassiter
in the first half," said Cone.
The way his charges generally played a great game also pleased Cone no end as the specter of a third
straight loss was easily dispelled.
"We talked about putting a good one together and we did put a good one together," he stated, already
looking ahead at their next game against Barako Bull in Panabo City on Saturday.
"I hope we can play better then than what we did today," said Cone. "I'm pleased with our effort,
especially our defense."
Lassiter scored 13 of his team-high 15 points in the second half and had Sean Anthony as main
partner during a torrid run that brought Powerade within 65-74, still 7:08 remaining in the game.
Anthony had two triples and eight of his total 13 points while Lassiter added six points off his
three steals in that stretch that whittled what was a 68-48 B-Meg lead after the third period.
Then Urbiztondo buried a wide open trey and found Simon for a triple and a layup that jacked their
lead back up to 17.
"We were holding the ball too long, allowing us to get rushed," said Cone. "Then Josh hit that 3 and
Simon hit his own and that settled us back down. That's what our second group was supposed to do."
Devance's four points came during an 8-5 surge that put the outcome fully beyond doubt 90-70, only
2:22 left.
David missed his first six shots and wound up with seven points. He did not buy a baskiet until the
last 6:43 mark of the third period and wound up shooting 3-for-13 from the field for his lowest
output in the last five conferences.
JVee Casio was also shaky in only his second game from the knee injury that sidelined him in
Powerade's first three games. The star playmaker for the national team missed his first six shots
and wound up with only five points.
The burden of providing the needed points fell on the shoulders of Anthony, who had a triple in a
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It was Yap in the first quarter before Simon took the lead in the second period. The two-time MVP
scattered 12 of his points in the opening period, including five that sparked a 9-0 run from a 2-5
deficit. He added seven more during a 13-4 close out.
The hole dug by Powerade when it made just three of its first 17 shots got deeper as the game wore
on and as B-Meg grew hotter.
By the time Simon buried his first triple and Rico Maierhofer looped in a twinner, it was a 38-18
difference which B-Meg stretched to 46-25 at the half. The lead got stretched even more when the
Llamados scored the first eight points of the third period. (NC)
The scores:
B-MEG 97 - Simon 21, Yap J. 20, Barroca 11, De Vance 10, Urbiztondo 9, Raymundo 7, Pingris 6, Yap R.
6, Reavis 5, Maierhofer 2, Acuna 0.
POWERADE 80 - Lassiter 15, Anthony 13, Kramer 8, Cruz 8, Lingganay 7, Vanlandingham 7, David 7,
Adducul 7, Casio 5, Antonio 3, Calimag 0, Crisano 0.
Quarterscores: 24-9, 46-25, 68-48, 97-80
GINEBRA COMES FROM BEHIND TO BEAT SHOPINAS.COM
Source : Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV
For the second straight game, Barangay Ginebra found itself on the brink of defeat.
And for the second straight game, the Gin Kings managed to escape with a thrilling victory.
Picking up from where it left off four nights ago, Ginebra pulled off another exciting come-from-behind victory, this time a 94-90 win against a young but game Shopinas.com in the main game of the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Just like in their victory on Saturday against Powerade, Ginebra came back from a five point deficit with under a minute left in the game. This time, however, the Gin Kings needed overtime to seal the win.
Down by five, 79-74, with 55.2 seconds to go, Ginebra got the breaks it needed after Shopinas players RJ Jazul and Elmer Espiritu missed four straight free throws.
Between those misses, the Gin Kings counted on their grizzled veterans to keep their flagging spirits up. Mark Caguioa had a long two-pointer from the corner that shoved his team to within three, 79-76, before Espiritu’s trip to the free throw line. Jayjay Helterbrand then knocked down a game-tying three-pointer in the ensuing play to tie the game.
Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen admitted after the match that Helterbrand’s bomb came off a broken play.
“The play was designed for Mark, but it proved to be a blessing in disguise as he was denied the ball. Jayjay took over from there and hit the shot,” he said.
“The past four nights where we had back-to-back wins were unexplainable. It was God’s grace that allowed us to win these games.”
Sensing their younger counterparts’ imminent fall, the veteran-laden Gin Kings started to pounce on their rivals in overtime, unloading seven quick points behind two fastbreak baskets by Caguioa sandwiching a KG Canaleta three-pointer from the left wing. Ginebra posted a seven-point lead, 86-79, and was threatening to pull away.
But the Clickers continued to hang on. Elmer Espiritu and Jazul each nailed a three-pointer that shoved their team to within a basket, 92-90, with still 6.6 seconds left, but the Gin Kings used their experience down the stretch to make sure they won’t falter in the dying seconds. Helterbrand sealed the deal with two free throws off a hard foul given by Ogie Menor.
Helterbrand and several members of the Ginebra squad even confronted Menor for giving a hard foul, but the former Most Valuable Player kept his composure and closed the match by sinking his last pair of charities for the final tally. Helterbrand later apologized to Menor on national television for blowing his top.
In winning another close match, Tanquingcen heaped praises on his veterans, but challenged his younger players to step up.
“Since I became Ginebra coach in 2004, these are the same people – Eric Menk, Caguioa and Helterbrand – that have been bailing us out of trouble. It has always been an uphill battle for us and we need the younger guys to step up. These veterans have already done their part. They are just playing their extra years of service. We needed the young guys to take the responsibility and ease the pressure on the veterans. This is definitely a work in progress and it’s going to get worse than get better if the young guys won’t step up,” said Tanquingcen.
The fiery mentor also believes Shopinas.com has done a great job in most of its games this season.
“Medyo namamama lang sila, pero laban sila lagi,” said Tanquingcen. “Most of their games, dikdikan.”
The scores:
Ginebra (94) – Intal 16, Caguioa 16, Villanueva 9, Helterbrand 9, Canaleta 8, Wilson 8, De Ocampo 7, Tubid 5, Cortez 5, Wilson, J. 3, Cervantes 2, Labagala 2, Aquino 2, Menk 2.
Shopinas.com (90) – Jazul 15, Espiritu 13, Hubalde 11, Sena 9, Canlas 7, Menor 7, Daa 6, Mirza 5, Ritualo 5, Hermida 4, Aquino 4, Sison 2, Se 2.
Quarterscores: 24-15; 35-38; 55-55; 79-79; 94-90
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