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| Mac Cardona Photo from PBA AKTV |
Source : INTERAKTV
Meralco bounced back from a humbling defeat in their last game, pulling off a 93-87 escape win over Barangay Ginebra Friday night in the 2011 PBA Philippine Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Coming off a 44-point loss to Rain or Shine, the Bolts showed great resolve in facing the Kings and needed crucial stops in the end to hold on for the win, their fifth in eight matches.
“Our target was to end at No. 4 despite losing by 44 points. That’s our motivation coming into this game,” said Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio.
“It’s more of a character test for us after that humbling defeat (from Rain or Shine). It’s a great feeling to hurdle this obstacle especially up against Ginebra,” he added.
Mark Cardona led all scorers with 25 points while Sol Mercado added 14 for the Bolts, who are now in solo fourth with 5-3 slate.
Mark Isip added 13 while Gabby Espinas and Asi Taulava each had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Meralco.
Mark Macapagal also played huge with eight points and his three-pointer with 1:53 remaining shoved the Bolts to an 88-82 lead.
But Jayjay Helterbrand scored on a drive and after a Taulava miss in the next play, Nino Canaleta drilled a three-pointer to make it an 87-88 count with 56.4 seconds remaining.
Ginebra got another chance to grab the lead when Mercado muffed his drive but Helterbrand lost control of the ball and Mark Borboran secured the loose ball and called a timeout.
That led to Cardona’s two free throws, 90-87, 7.7 seconds left, and Canaleta’s difficult fade-away three-pointer at the deep left corner hit the side of the board and allowed Meralco to walk away with the win.
Canaleta topscored with 16 points for the Kings, who dropped to 3-3. Helterbrand and Rico Villanueva each had 14 markers for Ginebra.
“Our emphasis coming into this game is hardwork, hardwork and hardwork,” said Gregorio.
The scores:
MERALCO 93 – Cardona 25, Mercado 14, Isip 13, Espinas 11, Taulava 11, Macapagal 8, Timberlake 4, Borboran 3, Omolon 2, Hugnatan 2, Ballesteros 0, Yee 0, Lanete 0.
GINEBRA 87 – Canaleta 16, Villanueva 14, Helterbrand 14, Caguioa 10, Intal 9, Cortez 8, De Ocampo 6, Wilson J. 4, Wilson W. 3, Tubid 3, Cervantes 0, Labagala 0.
Quarters: 26-16, 39-41, 66-66, 93-87
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| Jeff Chan Photo from AKTV |
Rain or Shine chalked up another win even if head coach Yeng Guiao failed to finish the game due to ejection.
Guiao was tossed out in the match for incurring two technical fouls, the last for elbowing Ogie Menor at the back, but the Elasto Painters took care of business and scored a 96-75 victory over Shopinas.com in the 2011 PBA Philippine Cup Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
The win was the fourth in a row for Rain or Shine and solidified its hold of the top spot with a 6-1 mark while sending the Clickers to their seventh straight defeat in as many games.
Jeff Chan tallied a career-high 28 points in 28 minutes, 17 came in the decisive third period where the Elasto Painters outscored Shopinas, 27-10, to put the game out of reach.
“Maganda nilalaro ng team because the system was in place,” said Guiao, who was thrown out at 3:12 mark of the second period after the elbow on Menor.
Menor, who was reprimanded by the league for his behavior in the Clickers’ last game against BMEG, just buried a three-pointer in front of the Rain or Shine bench and taunted the players that did not sit well to Guiao.
Even before Menor was able to turn his back, Guiao already hit him at the back for his second technical foul. His first was also on Menor for using profane language.
“Ganoon talaga, kailangan mo magdusa sa pagkakamali mo. Kapag pumatol ka sa sira ulo, mas sira ang ulo [mo],” added Guiao.
Ronjay Buenafe added 12 points, Jervy Cruz had 11 and 10 boards while Paul Lee contributed 7 points and 8 assists for the Rain or Shine.
James Sena led the Clickers with 15 points and 10 rebounds while Menor contributed 14 for the team of coach Franz Pumaren.
Sena’s back-to-back baskets pushed his team within five, 49-54, but Chan anchored a mind-boggling 21-0 run that bridged to the fourth period as the Elasto Painters erected a 75-49 sprad with 10:58 remaining.
Renren Ritualo ended Shopinas’s scoring drought with a triple but the game was already in the bag for the Elasto Painters, who get a one-week break before playing their next game against Barako Bull.
“Mae-enjoy namin ang one-week break at mapaghahandaan namin ang Barako,” said Guiao, whose team just came from a 44-point demolition of Meralco.
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 96 – Chan 28, Buenafe 12, Cruz 11, Quinahan 9, Lee 7, Belga 6, Rodriguez 5, Arana 5, Uyloan 4, Norwood 3, Matias 2, Jaime 2, Ibanes 2.
SHOPINAS.COM 75 – Sena 15, Menor 14, Canlas 8, Espiritu 8, Sison 6, Jazul 4, Aquino 4, Hubalde 4, Se 4, Ritualo 4, Mirza 2, Duncil 2, Hermida 0, Daa 0.
Quarters: 17-19, 43-39, 70-49, 96-75
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