PBA Scores, News and Updates

[Zurca]

Petron shuns injury bug, completes fightback against Barako

DESPITE playing with a depleted roster, Petron Blaze patiently gutted down a double-digit second half deficit to pull off a come-from-behind 96-90 victory over a fighting Barako Bull side in their PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup showdown on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Defense played a huge role for the injury-riddled Boosters, who held the Energy Cola to just three points in the first six-and-a-half minutes of the payoff  period, while riding the hot hands of Marcio Lassiter to complete the comeback.

Lassiter banged in a game-high 27 points and got plenty of help from Petron’s bench, which successfully held the fort for a team that came into the game with just nine healthy players.

“I’m very, very happy about this win because coming to this game, we had a lot of injured players,” said Petron coach Gee Abanilla shortly after the Boosters chalked up their fourth win in as many starts to keep the top spot in the season-opening tournament.

“We came into the game with eight players and one rookie, but for us (the coaching staff), the standard of expectation should not change.”

Shooter Chris Lutz suited up but did not play after hurting his left quadriceps in the team’s previous game, although team doctors cleared him to play.

But Abanilla opted to rest him instead.

“Everybody pitched in and a lot of the guys stepped up,” said the Petron coach. “Even Paolo Hubalde, Jason Deutchman, and the regulars like June Mar (Fajardo), Arwind Santos. So it’s a total team effort.”

Lutz joined injured players Alex Cabagnot (torn plantar), Chris Ross (hamstring), Ronald Tubid (knee), and Yousef Taha (knee) on the sidelines.

The Boosters trailed by as many as 13 points in the second period, before emerging from their slump in the second half with Lassiter, Santos, Hubalde, and Chico Lanete providing the spark.

Santos had 19, Hubalde scored a personal conference-high 15, while Fajardo added 11 and 22 rebounds, marking the second straight time he came up with 20 or more rebounds in a game.

Barako Bull, which dropped to an even 2-2 record after losing for the second straight time for a tie with idle Meralco, drew 11 points from JC Intal and 10 each from Willie Miller and Mark Macapagal.

The scores:

Petron (96) -- Lassiter 26, Santos 19, Hubalde 15, Fajardo 11, Lanete 10, Deutchman 7, Duncil 4, Kramer 4, Marata 0.

Barako Bull (90) -- Intal 11, Macapagal 10, Miller 10, Buenafe 10, Wilson 9, Isip 9, Pena 9, Jensen 7, Fortuna 5, Villanueva 5, Pennisi 5, Marcelo 0.

Quarterscores: 24-31; 46-50; 71-73; 96-90.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Rejuvenated Abueva to the rescue as Alaska outlasts Air21 in OT

CALVIN Abueva and RJ Jazul delivered in the clutch as the duo lifted Alaska to a pulsating 97-91 overtime victory over hard luck Air21 in Wednesday night’s main game of the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Abueva, who struggled to start the season-opening conference, erupted for 19 points, including a  three-point play off Vic Manuel that gave the Aces the breathing room they needed, 93-89, with 1:18 to go in the extra period.

After Manuel managed to score on a running jumper off a Joseph Yeo feed, Jazul went on to seal the game with two pressure-packed free throws in the final 22 seconds and help Alaska snap a two-game losing skein.

The Aces improved to 2-3 overall, while keeping the Express still winless in five outings.

“Three straight tough games for us. But it was nice to battle and compete and find ways to win,” said Alaska coach Luigi Trillo after the hard-fought game.

“Give credit to Air21. They played quality basketball as well.”

Trillo said he was particularly happy with the way the 6-foot-1 Abueva played under control against the Express.

“It’s nice to see Calvin in his flow because in the first two games, medyo gigil siya with his fouls. Today he was there till the end,” he added.

Also providing the much-needed spark off the bench was rookie guard Chris Eximiniano, who pumped in a PBA career-best 16 points, including a perfect four-of-four stint from beyond the arc.

“Ping (Eximiniano’s nickname) came in and changed the game for us. Guys were down and we needed a lift. I think he had four three-point shots,” said Trillo.

Air21 drew 22 points from Nino Canaleta while Manuel finished with 20.

Yeo, the team’s leading scorer, was held down to just four points on 1-of-8 shooting in the game.

The scores:

Alaska (97) -- Abueva 19, Exciminiano 16, Jazul 13, Espinas 11, Thoss 10, Casio 7, Baguio 7, Dela Cruz 6, Belasco 4, Ramos 4, Hontiveros 0, Eman 0.

Air21 (91) -- Canaleta 22, Manuel 20, Custodio 13, Cardona 12, Espiritu 10, Taulava 5, Yeo 4, Sharma 4, Jaime 1, Arboleda 0, Ritualo 0, Camson 0.

Quarterscores: 9-16; 26-29; 52-49; 80-80 (reg); 97-91.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Ginebra must continue to impose its size advantage, says rookie Slaughter

COMING off a humbling loss to Meralco on Tuesday, rookie Greg Slaughter said Barangay Ginebra must play to its strengths if it hopes to be successful against three-time PBA Philippine Cup champion Talk 'N Text in their much-awaited showdown on Sunday.

The 6-foot-11 Slaughter felt Ginebra fell into a trap laid down by Meralco by failing to maximize its biggest strength, which is the team’s size, against the undersized Bolts, leading to a 87-100 loss that halted the Gin Kings' streak of three wins to begin the season.

“I think we adjusted to them (Bolts) and played their game,” said Slaughter, who was held to just seven points and six rebounds in 21 minutes against Meralco - all career lows for the top pick in this season's rookie draft.

Ginebra coach Ato Agustin tried to match up with Meralco when the Bolts went with a small roster of Sunday Salvacion, Jared Dillinger, John Wilson and Mike Cortez, with Rabeh Al-Hussaini as the lone legitimate big man on the floor, during the second half - a move which eventually backfired.

With Dillinger, Cortez, Wilson and Salvacion taking turns hitting their outside shots, the Gin Kings fell behind by as much as 25 points and never recovered while Slaughter watched from the bench.

“I think we tried to change our lineup. But I think that’s not how we were winning (in the first three games),” explained the former Ateneo star from Cebu.

The past days in practice since that loss to the Bolts, Slaughter said Ginebra has been making the necessary adjustments ahead of the meeting against Talk ‘N Text.

But Slaughter is the first to warn that Ginebra won't have it easy against the Texters, who are coached by his former mentor at Ateneo, Norman Black.

“They (Texters) are a disciplined team. And surely, coach Norman knows what he’s doing. They are a tough team,” added Slaughter, who averages 13.0 points, 10.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks this conference.

From SPIN.ph

[kingjames24szupladoh]

The scores :

First Game :

GLOBALPORT 93 - Mercado 33,
Washington 27, Garcia 12, Lingganay 6, Hayes 4, Romeo 4, Salvador 4, Yee 3, Menk 0, Nabong 0, Chua 0, Belencion 0, Salva 0.

MERALCO 89 - David 18, Cortez 18, Salvacion 15, Dillinger 13, Wilson 11, Al-Hussaini 7, Allado 7, Caram 0, Sena 0, Guevarra 0.

Quarters: 21-22, 37-46, 66-64, 93-89


Second Game :

Rain or Shine 86 - San Mig Coffee 83

Best Player: Paul Lee - 26 pts 2 rebs . . .

[Zurca]

GlobalPort ends skid as Mercado proves thorn in side of former team Meralco

SOLOMON Mercado proved a thorn in the side of his former team Meralco as he combined with Jay Washington in a second-half fightback that carried GlobalPort to a 93-89 win in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Mercado banged in 19 of his personal conference-high 33 points in the second half, including three crucial free throws down the stretch, while Washington added 27 on a night when nothing was going right offensively for high-scoring rookie guard Terrence Romeo.

But more importantly, the Batang Pier made some crucial stops in the final 30 seconds and forced John Wilson and Jared Dillinger to take hurried shots from beyond the arc as they snapped their two-game losing skid to pull even with the Bolts at 2-3 (win-loss).

“We were able to execute our defensive game plan today, especially limiting their (Bolts) shooters,” said Globalport interim coach Ritchie Ticzon.

Ticzon said he was happy to see Mercado take charge after asking him to shift from playmaking to being a scorer, entering the game against the Bolts.

“If you noticed, Sol came off the bench, pero, we tried to shift him from point guard to off guard. Now, he’s more and more comfortable with our system,” he added.

Romeo, the reigning UAAP MVP, was held down to just four points, struggling mightily against Meralco’s bigger defenders.

But his absence was ably filled in by his fellow rookie RR Garcia, who scored 12 points including two three-pointers late in the final period in a strong supporting role to Mercado and Washington.

Meralco, which led by nine points at halftime, slowly relinquished the lead in the second half after getting clobbered by Globalport’s bigger frontline of Washington and Jondan Salvador.

Globalport, which dropped its last two outings against  Barangay Ginebra and Talk ‘N Text, outrebounded the injury-ravaged Meralco squad, 52-37.

Gary David and Mike Cortez had 18 points apiece to lead the Bolts, came into the game with forwards Cliff Hodge and Reynel Hugnatan, who both are out with sprained ankles. Off season acquisition Kerby Raymundo has yet to play this season due to a nagging knee injury.

The scores:

GLOBALPORT 93 - Mercado 33, Washington 27, Garcia 12, Lingganay 6, Hayes 4, Romeo 4, Salvador 4, Yee 3, Menk 0, Nabong 0, Chua 0, Belencion 0, Salva 0.

MERALCO 89 - David 18, Cortez 18, Salvacion 15, Dillinger 13, Wilson 11, Al-Hussaini 7, Allado 7, Caram 0, Sena 0, Guevarra 0.

Quarters: 21-22, 37-46, 66-64, 93-89

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Rain or Shine withstands woeful free throw shooting as 'Lee-thal' blows sink San Mig

RAIN or Shine bucked a poor free throw shooting night by leaning on a pair of timely bailout three-point shots by guard Paul Lee to escape with an 86-83 decision over skidding San Mig Super Coffee in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

The 6-foot Lee, who finished with a career-high 26 points, buried two triples and a fastbreak layup off San Mig’s turnovers to give Rain or Shine an 83-76 lead going into the final one and a half minutes of the game.

The Mixers, however, together a 7-2 run behind Mark Barroca’s own three-point shot and back-to-back inside stabs by Marc Pingris to close in at 85-83, time down to 17.7 seconds left.

Gabe Norwood then missed two free throws at the other end, giving the Mixers a new lease on life.

Unfortunately, Barroca missed on a driving layup with time winding down. Lee grabbed the rebound before he was fouled by Barroca with three seconds left in the game.

The Rain or Shine gunner split his free throws to seal the match.

Joe Devance tried a desperation three-point shot that hit the back iron as Rain or Shine notched its fourth win in five games.

“We missed too many free throws tonight. I felt if we made a couple of free throws, it would not have been that close,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said after the game.

San Mig dropped to 1-4 overall as the team continues to struggle playing with an incomplete lineup.

"The win-loss record of San Mig doesn't reflect how strong this team is," said Guiao of the reigning Governors Cup champions.

The Mixers missed ace gunner James Yap for the second straight game due to inflammation on his right elbow.

Devance played his first game of the season for the Mixers after going down with a knee injury, contributing 11 points and four rebounds.

Rain or Shine made a living from the fastbreak department after outgunning San Mig, 17-5.

Barroca led the Mixers with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists, while PJ Simon added 18.

Pingris finished with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The scores

Rain or Shine (86) -- Lee 26, Chan 11, Arana 7, Tang 6, Teng 6, Norwood 6, Cruz 5, Rodriguez 5, Quinahan 4, Belga 2, Almazan 2, Tiu 2, Nuyles 2, Ibanes 2.

San Mig (83) -- Barroca 23, Simon 18, Pingris 12, Devance 11, Sangalang 8, Reavis 7, Mallari 4, Acuna 0, Gaco 0, Cawaling 0.

Quarterscores: 25-15; 38-34; 62-59; 86-83

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

San Mig Mixers down but not out, insists defiant Marc Pingris

MARC Pingris still likes San Mig Super Coffee’s chances in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup despite suffering yet another loss Friday night at the hands of Rain or Shine, 86-83, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-5 power forward said with the Mixers’ 1-4 (win-loss) record, it would have been easy for the team to just sulk or, even worse, give up at this point.

But they are definitely not throwing the towel yet, especially since previously injured players Joe Devance and Peter June Simon are slowly getting back into game shape.

“Di naman kami nag-pa-panic. Basta nag-i-improve `yung team okay naman sa kanya (coach Tim Cone). Ang di lang okay sa kanya eh `yung paglaro namin ng pangit sa game,” Pingris said after the team fell short in its late-game rally against the Elasto Painters.

Despite the struggling start, Pingris still sees a ray of hope for a team that missed injured superstar James Yap for the second straight time in less than a week.

“Oo, nag-improve naman kami. Talagang patayan naman kami sa practice eh,” he said.

“Lahat kami ginagawa namin lahat, konting step up pa, pati sa sarili ko na kailangan talaga maging leader sa loob ng court.”

“Down kami ngayon, then galing pa sa champion (in the Governors Cup), pero wala kaming pakialam kung ano sabihin nila. Iintindihin lang namin kung paano mag-improve ang team at `yung foundation na binubuo namin,” added Pingris, who finished with 12 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists for the Mixers.

The Smart Gilas stalwart said he’s happy to see third-year pro Marc Barroca stepped up his game this season after contributing yet another all-around game of 23 points, six rebounds, and five assists in a losing cause for the Mixers.

“Sayang eh, kung na-shoot niya yun (layup in the endgame), overtime sana. Pero, sabi ko lang sa kanya (Barroca), 'Good game, bawi na lang tayo next game,'” Pingris said.

San Mig Super Coffee has enough time to regroup before returning to action next Wednesday against Meralco also at the Big Dome.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Petron keeps perfect record after holding off Alaska

PETRON Blaze survived an atrocious free throw shooting down the stretch to outlast Alaska, 86-85, and remain unbeaten in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Big man June Mar Fajardo carried the struggling and injury-plagued Boosters on his broad shoulders, hitting the team’s last seven points, including a 20-foot fadeaway jump shot that beat the shot clock.

But the Boosters began missing their free throws in the final 30 seconds and protecting an 86-79 lead.

The Boosters missed three of its four free throws late in the game, while Alaska went to JV Casio and RJ Jazul for a pair of crucial three-point shots to come within 85-86.

Paolo Hubalde had a chance to clinch the win for Petron in the final 1.8 seconds, but missed two of his foul shots.

Without a timeout, Alaska was forced to call one when skipper Tony Dela Cruz grabbed the rebound, automatically slapping the Aces a technical foul.

But again, Petron blinked as Marcio Lassiter, a 63.2 percent free throw shooter, missed the technical foul shot, opening the door for a possible Alaska win.

The inbound pass of Dela Cruz intended Jazul however, was swatted away by Arwind Santos near the half court line that all but preserved Petron’s immaculate slate at 5-0.

“I guess Alaska came in to play tonight. They really played well, had a good game, and we’re just happy to hold them off  even though we missed free throws in the end,” said Petron coach Gee Abanilla, whose Boosters are the lone unbeaten squad in the 10-team field this conference.

Alaska, which dropped to 2-4, engaged Petron to 13 deadlocks and 13 lead changes.

The Aces, who brandished a more physical game throughout the match, also outrebounded the Boosters, 55-47.

But they had no answer to Fajardo down the stretch.

The 6-foot-10 gentle giant of Petron managed to keep himself composed even in the face of the tough defense put up on him by Alaska’s Calvin Abueva, Gabby Espinas, and Sonny Thoss made him bleed for every point in the paint.

“I think he’s (Fajardo) starting to improve on his free throws because he is commanding a lot of double teams.  He’s composed and was knocking down those free throws in the end,” Abanilla said of Fajardo, who finished the game shooting 12-of-14 from the foul line.

The 24-year-old Fajardo earned his fifth straight double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds, while adding two blocks in 39 minutes of action.

Jazul led the Aces with 18, while Abueva added 19 and nine boards.

The scores

Petron (86) -- Fajardo 20, Lutz 15, Santos 15, Lassiter 12, Hubalde 10, Kramer 9, Duncil 3, Lanete 2, Deutchman 0.

Alaska (85) -- Jazul 18, Abueva 17, Espinas 11, Thoss 9, Baguio 9, Casio 8, Buenafe 3, Belasco 2, Dela Cruz 2, Hontiveros 2, Avenido 2, Exciminiano 2, Ramos 0, Eman 0.

Quarterscores: 17-17; 35-37; 56-56; 86-85.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Lift-off at last for Air21 as Canaleta, Yeo, Cardona take Barako Bull by the horns

A PUMPED-UP Air21 vented all its frustrations on a lackluster Barako Bull side to book its first win of the season, 92-77, in their PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup match on Saturday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Last season’s Most Improved Player Nino Canaleta had a double-double effort of 19 points and 10 rebounds as Air21 ended a string of five losses while avenging a 75-88 loss to this same Barako Bull team two weeks ago.

Joseph Yeo bounced back from a subpar game against Alaska with 13 points, eight rebounds and six assists while his former La Salle teammate Macmac Cardona added 13 points, five boards, four boards and three steals.

“If you look at our last two games before this, that’s the team we’re projecting to see for this conference,” said Air21 coach Franz Pumaren.

“The first three games were really horrific because we didn’t play defense but the last three games, including this one, we prove to ourselves that we can play defense,” he added.

Barako Bull, which was averaging more than 10 three-point shots made this conference before the game, could only go 3-of-27 from beyond the arc against the Express.

So effective was Air21’s perimeter defense that Barako Bull’s usually reliable gunners like Ronjay Buenafe (0-of-4), Mark Macapagal (0-of-3) and rookie guard Jeric Fortuna (0-of-4) all fired blanks.

Willie Miller and rookie Carlo Lastimosa were the only players to make three-point shots for Barako, which lost its third straight game after starting the season with back-to-back victories.

Lastimosa led the Energy Cola with 15 points in his first game as a pro.

The scores:

AIR21 92 - Canaleta 19, Yeo 13, Cardona 13, Arboleda 12, Manuel 11, Custodio 9, Camson 6, Taulava 5, Espiritu 2, Sharma 2, Matias 0.
 
BARAKO 77 - Lastimosa 15, Isip 12, Miller 12, Labagala 10, Buenafe 9, Pennisi 5, Fortuna 4, Intal 4, Macapagal 2, Jensen 2, Wilson 2, Pena 0, Villanueva 0.
 
Quarterscores: 17-10, 37-31, 66-58, 92-77

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Globalport survives Rain or Shine for franchise's first back-to-back wins

GLOBALPORT played with a lot of composure in the face of a furious Rain or Shine rally down the stretch to pull off a gut-wrenching 90-88 victory in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Paul Lee misfired what could have been a game-winning three-pointer in the waning seconds off the  outstretched arms of  Globalport rookie Justin Chua, allowing the Batang Pier to pull off one of the biggest wins in the franchise’s young history.

It marked the first time the Batang Pier won back-to-back games in the league as they evened their record at 3-3 and stay in the middle of the standings.

“It was very important for us to win against Meralco, and I think from there, they are beginning to believe in the system. Kasi sobrang okay ngayon,” said Globalport’s interim coach Ritchie Ticzon, whose team is fresh off a win over the Bolts, 93-89, prior to their game against the Elasto Painters.

“Everyone is trusting each other already.”

Lee, who poured a career-best 26 points in Rain or Shine’s win over San Mig Super Coffee over the weekend, was on fire again after scoring 13 of his team-high 20 points in the final period, including back-to-back triples late in the game to knot the count at 87-all.

Before Lee waxed hot, the Elasto Painters were down by as many as 14 points.

By then, everyone thought the Batang Pier was doomed, but veteran guard Solomon Mercado made sure the young franchise won’t crumble amidst the mounting pressure.

Mercado’s split free throws, along with a corner jump shot by Chua late in the game was all Globalport needed to preserve the win.

Rain or Shine fell to 4-2 as the Elasto Painters’ two-game winning run was snapped.

Jay Washington banged in 20 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Mercado also had 20 to go along with seven assists.

Globalport's defense also played a major factor in the win as it held a 17-6 advantage in turnover points.

The scores

Globalport (90) -- Washington 20, Mercado 20, Garcia 13, Chua 12, Nabong 8, Yee 5, Lingganay 5, Hayes 4, Salvador 2, Romeo 1, Menk 0, Belencion 0.

Rain or Shine (88) -- Lee 20, Quinahan 14, Norwood 11, Belga 10, Cruz 9, Chan 8, Arana 7, Teng 4, Nuyles 3, Tiu 2, Almazan 0, Ibanes 0, Rodriguez 0.

Quarterscores: 18-22; 36-35; 70-60; 90-88.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Japeth saves day as Ginebra completes come-from-behind win over Talk `N Text

JAPETH Aguilar nailed a cold-blooded triple in the final 1.1 second, and then rejected Ranidel de Ocampo’s last-second attempt to help Barangay Ginebra complete a pulsating 97-95 come-from-behind win over three-time champion Talk ‘N Text in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 6-foot-9 Aguilar bucked a slow start by dropping 19 of his team-high 21 points in the second half to lead Ginebra’s magnificent fightback from as much as a 14-point deficit.

The fourth quarter saw Aguilar unveil his newest repertoire in the game when he nailed a pair of booming three-pointers.

The former Ateneo and Western Kentucky Hilltopper product, who was never known for knocking down three-pointers, nailed his first from beyond the arc at the 6:01 mark of the final period to give Ginebra the lead, 87-86.

But it was his second three-point shot that proved to be dramatic which came with the game-clock winding and the outcome of the match on the line.

He made the shot off a broken pick and roll play called by coach Ato Agustin.

“Ang last play namin talaga pick and roll na lang para kay Japeth talaga kasi I told them, kailangan hard sila to the basket. Eh swerte lang, pumasok `yung three-points ni Japeth,” said an obviously relieved Agustin after the game watched by a crowd of 13,476.

The win shoved Ginebra to solo second at 4-1, a fitting bounce back after falling to Meralco, 87-100, last  Tuesday.

Aguilar also had 12 rebounds and seven block shots, while Chris Ellis and rookie Greg Slaughter added 17 and 16 apiece.

Agustin said he was happy to see Aguilar and frontline partner Slaughter get a good bounce back performance against the Texters, who seemed poised for a win after dominating the game three-fourths of the way.
 
Making matters worse was Ginebra’s backcourt duo of Mark Caguioa and LA Tenorio were both under the weather, forcing Agustin to field in seldom-used guards Josh Urbiztondo and Emman Monfort to play for the huge part of the second half.
 
“Galing actually ng ospital si LA kanina (Sunday afternoon) bago siya dumiretso sa laro. Si Mark din galing ospital yan kahapon (Saturday). Pero naglaro pa rin sila,” said the Ginebra coach.
 
Jason Castro led the Texters (3-2) with 27 points, three rebounds, and six assists, while Larry Fonacier added 23, including a jump shot off a pair of picks in the final 22 seconds that gave Talk `N Text its last taste of the lead at 95-94.

The scores
 
Ginebra (97) -- Aguilar 21, Ellis 17, Slaughter 16, Baracael 12, Ababou 7, Helterbrand 7, Reyes 6, Urbiztondo 6, Caguioa 3, Tenorio 2, Monfort 0.
 
Talk `N Text (95) -- Castro 27, Fonacier 23, Anthony 12, De Ocampo 8, Williams 8, Alapag 7, Seigle 5, Baclao 4, Carey 1, Ferriols 0, Poligrates 0.
 
Quarterscores: 19-25; 40-43; 68-80; 97-95.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

GlobalPort official quashes talk rookie Romeo is this early asking for a raise

RUMORS have swirled that Terrence Romeo's camp is this early asking for a raise after a sensational start to his PBA career - a claim a top GlobalPort official was quick to quash on Tuesday.

The pride of Imus, Cavite took the PBA by storm in his first three games, averaging a league-best 22.5 points while setting a career-high 34 points in a match against the Air21 Express.

However, the reigning UAAP MVP scored a grand total of five points in matches against Meralco and Rain or Shine just as talks first emerged that he wants more than the P9 million, three-year deal he signed with the Batang Pier after being made the fifth pick overall in the last rookie draft.

A GlobalPort insider confirmed that Romeo's camp had indeed sent feelers for a raise, but the team's head of basketball operations, Erick Arejola, was quick to put out the fire.

“That’s not true. There’s no such demand from him. Hindi totoo yan. Mabait na bata si Terrence," said Arejola.

Arejola also pointed out that Romeo is already receiving the league maximum of P150,000 a month for rookies. "Maximum pay na siya for a rookie, hindi na pwede taasan 'yun. Alam nila 'yun, bawal 'yun,” he said.

The trusted official of team owner Mikee Romero also leapt to the defense of the 21-year-old prized catch out of Far Eastern University after his dismal performances the past two games.

Arejola blamed Romeo's struggles to his desire to fit in at GlobalPort.

“I am sure you’re aware of how boss Mikee wants everybody in the team to play within the system. Terrence is adjusting to it. He’s playing with the team, which is a totally different atmosphere from his college days,” said Arejola, who is also the head of Air Asia’s ground operations.

“To be fair to him, he’s exerting efforts in other departments like defense, assists and steals. Terrence brings other intangibles to the team other than his scoring,” said the former Dela Salle guard.

Meanwhile, two top PBA defenders said opponents are beginning to find a way to slow down the flamboyant guard.

“Siguro ganoon nga sa PBA, ang bilis mo ma-scout. Ngayon nababantayan na siya. Pero hindi naman niya kailangan umiskor eh. Ang daming scorers 'dun, nanalo nga sila sa amin kahit hindi siya umiskor ng marami,” said scrappy Rain or Shine guard Jireh Ibanes, who helped limit Romeo to just one point on Sunday.

“Para tumagal siya sa PBA, he should just do his thing and work harder and continue to be a team player. That will help him go a long way,” added the former UP Maroon.

Meralco guard John Wilson said the Bolts devoted a lot of time mapping out defensive plans against Romeo and his sparring partner RR Garcia.

“Siguro naging effective lang yung plano namin sa kanila. Kasi bago nila kami nakalaban, alam naman ng lahat ang kaya niyang gawin,” said Wilson.

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Cabagnot turns hero for Petron in season debut with winning basket against Air21

PETRON turned to a familiar hero in Alex Cabagnot to turn back a fighting Air21 side, 90-88, and keep its unblemished slate in the PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Playing in his first game of the season after being sidelined by a right foot injury, Cabagnot quickly made his presence felt as he hit the go-ahead runner to lift the league-leading Boosters to their sixth successive win.

“It’s gonna be good for his confidence coming off a long layoff,” Boosters coach Gee Abanilla said of Cabagnot, one of the league’s best closers.

However, the return of Cabagnot, who finished with 10 points and seven assists, somehow worries Abanilla, who also has Chris Ross back from injury and is still waiting for the comeback of Ronald Tubid and Yousef Taha.

“We need a lot of patience and understanding. We got guys coming back,” Abanilla said. “It’s gonna be a challenge for us coaches to be able to hone them and get the chemistry back.”

The Boosters fended off a gritty challenge by the cellar-dwelling Express, who were coming off their first win of the season, a 92-77 victory over Barako Bull.

Behind KG Canaleta and Macmac Cardona, Air21 kept the game close and even led in stretches, before eventually losing for the sixth time in seven games.

The heartbreaking defeat put to naught the own heroics of Canaleta, who buried back-to-back three-pointers inside the final minute that kept the score tied at 88.

The Boosters had six players scoring in double digits, with Chris Lutz leading the way with 25 points, four boards, and two steals, while Arwind Santos chipped in 14 points nine boards, and two blocks.

June Mar  Fajardo registered a double-double of 13 points and 16 boards, on top of three blocks as he had the last laugh in his matchup with Asi Taulava, who posted similar impressive numbers of 16 points, 18 boards, and two steals.

The scores:

Petron 90 - Lutz 25, Santos 14, Fajardo 13, Lassiter 12, Ross 10, Cabagnot 10, Hubalde 4, Lanete 2, Duncil 0, Kramer 0.

Air21 88 - Cardona 24, Taulava 16, Canaleta 11, Camson 10, Manuel 10, Arboleda 6, Sharma 4, Custodio 4, Jaime 3, Matias 0, Burtscher 0, Espiritu 0, Yeo 0.

Quarters: 19-10, 39-39, 59-60, 90-88

From SPIN.ph

[Zurca]

Meralco Bolts deepen woes of San Mig with late fightback from 18 points down

MERALCO completed a big fightback to frustrate San Mig Coffee, 72-64, and stay firmly in the middle of the pack in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Bolts leaned on timely conversions from John Wilson, Reynel Hugnatan, and Jared Dilinger down the stretch as they climbed out of an enormous 18-point hole en route to levelling their win-loss record at 3-3.

They also added to the misery of the Mixers, who suffered a fifth loss in six games to remain second to the last in the 10-team standings just two months after ruling the Governors Cup.

“It’s a great testament of the fantastic resolve that we played out there,” Bolts coach Ryan Gregorio said. “We grinded with our small group.”

Gregorio chose to sit out misfiring starters Gary David and Mike Cortez in the endgame, and instead turned to Wilson, Hugnatan, and Dilinger, who scored all of the team’s 26 points in the payoff period, where they outscored the Mixers by 16 points.

The Mixers seemed poised for a blowout victory when they established a 51-33 cushion in the third quarter, but wound up with just 13 points from then on as they shot just 31.5 percent (23 of 73) from the field for the night.

Wilson, the spitfire guard from Angono, Rizal, fired 12 of his 19 points in the payoff period and gave the Bolts the lead for good at 58-56 to step up for the off night of David, who was held to five points on 2-of-11 shooting in 28 minutes of play.

Hugnatan finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Dilingner totalled 13 points, six rebounds, and four assists, while also putting the clamps on Mixers star James Yap, who scored a team-high 14 points, but had to take 23 attempts to reach his output.

The scores:

Meralco (72) -- Wilson 19, Hugnatan 16, Dillinger 13, Al-Hussaini 7, David 5, Sena 4, Cortez 4, Salvacion 2, Guevarra 2, Timberlake 0, Allado 0.

San Mig Coffee (64) -- Yap 14, Pingris 12, Barroca 11, Simon 10, Sanggalang 7, Devance 3, Cawaling 3, Mallari 2, Reavis 2.

Quarterscores: 16-12; 29-37; 46-54; 72-64.

From SPIN.ph

[tatalibat]

ano nang nangyari sa San Mig ? langya naman oh...