PBA Friday Scores

RAIN OR SHINE WINS 7TH FOR SOLO LEAD
Source : PBA Official Website

Rain or Shine pounced on the fourth quarter ejection of Barako Bull coach Junel Baculi as it
repulsed repeated rallies to hack out a 93-81 victory that snared it the solo lead in the PBA
Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City Friday.


Paul Lee came through with a solid all-around performance with 17 points, seven rebounds, four
assists and a steal as the Elasto Painters zoomed to the top with a 7-1 (win-loss) record while
leaving behind the Talk N' Text Tropang Texters, their erstwhile co-leaders now on second place on a
6-1 card.

The Energy, who saw their coach ejected at the start of the final canto, fell to their third loss
against five triumphs but remained at No. 3.

"We prepared for them, we knew its going to be difficult and hard game, we knew as long as we can
keep the game fast and we were able to have an advantage and that's what we're trying to do all game
long," said Rain or Shine coach Joseller "Yeng" Guiao.

"We also know that this is a potent offensive team but our team defense held up and we're glad it
did because we can't match up with them one on one," he added.

Guiao, who is coming off a P34,000 fine recently, even joked about the ejection of his opposing
mentor.

"Nagulat din ako na naunahan ako ma-thrown out ni coach Junel, hindi ako makapaniwala at ngayon lang
nangyari sa buhay ko ito," quipped Guiao. "It helped us in a way and it happens to me, it happens to
everybody.

Barako Bull coach Junel Baculi was tossed out early in the fourth after he was slapped with his
second technical foul. A couple of minutes later, his player, Don Allado, was also assessed a
technical foul.

Rookie sensation Paul Lee erupted for 10 of his 12 first half points in the second quarter when Rain
or Shine outscored Barako Bull, 30-19.

The Energy actually trimmed their deficit to a hairline, 20-19, early in the period but Lee came out
strong and transformed that shaky upper hand to a more comfortable 47-33 advantage at the break.

The first half though was not without some commotions as technical fouls came aplenty--one from
Barako Bull's Mick Pennisi in the first period and one each by another Barako Bull player Leo
Najorda and Rain or Shine's Jervy Cruz in the second canto.

Najorda and Cruz got into a shoving and nudging match were quickly slapped a T to prevent the
incident from escalating.

The Elasto Painters seized the initiative early with Jireh Ibanez making both of his two shots--a
triple and a basket--to lead the way after the first quarter, 17-14. (JV)

The scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 93 - Lee 17, Buenafe 16, Ibanes 11, Cruz 10, Arana 10, Norwood 9, Belga 6, Chan 6,
Matias 4, Jaime 2, Quinahan 2.

BARAKO 81 - Miller 23, Ababou 11, Allado 10, Pennisi 9, Arboleda 7, Pena 6, Salvacion 5, Salvador 4,
Najorda 2, Artadi 2, Seigle 2, Avenido 0.

Quarters: 17-14, 47-33, 67-59, 93-81


BMEG GETS FIRST BACK TO BACK WIN
Source : PBA Official Website

A 22-point lead wasn’t comfortable enough for the B-Meg Llamados as they still had to rely on
Peter June Simon and Kerby Raymundo for clutch baskets in the fourth quarter to hold off a late
charge by the Meralco Bolts en route to a 95-79 victory Wednesday night at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Simon scored 12 of his 15 points in the fourth quarter and teamed-up with Kerby Raymundo (15 points)
to open the period with a 13-5 flurry that kept the Bolts at bay and secured B-Meg’s second
successive winand fourth overall in eight games in the PBA Philippine Cup.

“The first half of this conference we spent working and learning the ‘triangle.’ I think this
second half, we’re ready to play it. We had the patterns laid down and the knowledge in our
pockets. It’s just a manner of this team growing and evolving in the system,” said B-Meg head
coach Tim Cone.

Confident that everything his troops need to learn about the ‘triangle offense’ is already in
place, Cone acknowledged that it’s time for the team to make a surge.

“We’re now past the halfway point. It’s time to make our move. We can’t lag behind the
leaders too far back,” Cone observed.

He said B-Meg will be fine “ if we get somewhere between third and sixth spots” at the close of
the elimination round.

Teams that finish the eliminations in the Top 2 earn a twice to beat advantage in the quarterfinals
against the 7th and eighth qualifiers while the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th quarter-finalists figure in a
best-of-three series.

Obviously, the victory against Meralco kept the Llamados where they intend to be at this point of
the tournament.

“We’ll see where we go from here,” said Cone, pleased with his team’s aggressiveness and
defensive effort in the second half.

James Yap led all scorers with a conference-high 25 points, including 11 in the first quarter to get
things going for the Llamados, who avenged their 78-84 loss at the hands of the Bolts last Oct. 15.

Marc Pingris grabbed 12 rebounds as B-Meg outrebounded Meralco, 50-43.

The Llamados seized control and broke the game apart when Cone put together Joe Devance (9
rebounds), Rico Maierhofer (4 points) and Rafi Reavis (7 points, 8 rebounds) at the start of  the
second  quarter.

The frontcourt trio opened the second quarter with a 12-1 run as extended a five-point lead to
37-20. They were also mainly responsible for holding to Meralco to 35 percent shooting (6 of 17) in
the period.

B-Meg enjoyed the game’s biggest lead at 22 points several times, the last at 53-31 late in the
second period.

The Llamados held a 61-44 advantage four minutes into the third when Asi Taulava and Mac Cardona
picked up their offensive rhythm to lead a furious comeback by the Bolts, who pulled within 63-68
entering the fourth.

But they couldn't keep it up as Meralco picked up its fourth loss in nine games.

Gabby Espinas showed the way for Meralco with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Cardona collected 14 points
so did Taulava, who also recorded a double-double with 13 rebounds. (DBC)

The scores:

B-MEG 95 - Yap J. 25, Simon 17, Raymundo 15, Pingris 9, Reavis 7, DvVance 6, Urbiztondo 5, Yap R. 5,
Maierhofer 4, Barroca 2, Acuna 0.

MERALCO 79 - Espinas 20, Cardona 14, Taulava 14, Mercado 13, Hugnatan 6, Lanete 4, Timberlake 3,
Ballesteros 2, Isip 2, Macapagal 1, Borboran 0, Omolon 0.

Quarterscores: 25-19, 55-35, 68-63, 95-79