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Waylon Galvez
Defending champion Barangay Ginebra and Talk ‘N Text are two of the league’s crowd favorites. But last night, they found themselves in need of true and loyal friends following their crushing setbacks that somehow spoiled their New Year – no thanks to Air21 and Coca-Cola.
With Wynne Arboleda playing the game of his life, the Air21 Express demolished the Gin Kings, 119-110, and arranged a do-or-die showdown with the Tigers in the PBA Smart-Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
The wily guard exploded for a career-high 32 points on top of 10 rebounds, four assists and a steal to lead the Express’ stunning victory over the Gin Kings.
Ranidel de Ocampo and Arwind Santos also stepped up big time down the stretch to deliver the telling blows that scuttled Ginebra’s last-ditch comeback.
De Ocampo had 29 points, while the high-leaping Santos chipped 14 points and 13 rebounds.
Air21 coach Bo Perasol, however, refused to be swayed, saying it was just the start of their long trek to the top.
"This will be nothing if we cannot win against Coke," Perasol said. "This is just a stepping stone. We know it’s going to be tough. But if we can come up with the same intensity we have a good chance."
For the second time in three days, Coca-Cola drew a spectacular performance from a former Talk ‘N Text player to beat the Phone Pals for the second straight time.
With Mark Telan scoring 22 points, the Tigers downed the Phone Pals, 81-71, and kept its quarterfinal bid alive.
Last Wednesday, it was Asi Taulava who starred for the Tigers as he came through with a double-double performance that denied the Phone Pals a playoff for an outright quarterfinal berth.
The 6-foot-9 Taulava did score 13 points and grab 16 points but it was Telan who made the major difference this time.
The sudden-death match is set tomorrow at the same venue with the winner advancing to the best-of-three quarterfinals against Alaska.
"Ang mentality namin ni Asi coming into the series is to kill Talk ‘N Text," said Telan, who played for Manny V. Pangilinan-owned franchise during the 2005-06 season. "We want to be in the quarterfinals."
Taulava, who was dealt by Talk ‘N Text to Coke late last year for Ali Peek and a first round pick in the 2008 Rookie Draft, was grateful with the win but in a way sad for his former teammates, particularly the Pals’ point guard Jimmy Alapag.
Taulava, 34, played almost 10 seasons with the Phone Pals. He won the coveted Most Valuable Player (MVP) award with the team in 2003.
"I want to apologize to my former bosses, nothing personal. If I said anything that offended them, I’m sorry. I wish the best for them," Taulava, shook hands with Alapag a midcourt after the game. "We’re like brothers (with Alapag), I told him ‘think of the best’. He’s like a little brother to me. Now I don’t have a little brother, I have a bunch of brothers," he added.
The Tigers were protecting a 73-71 lead with five minutes left in the final frame, when rookie Ronjay Buenafe ignited a 8-2 run to make it an 81-73 advantage with 46.3 second to go.
"We came into this game, honestly unsure of what kind of team we are, but we agreed to give it all out, I think it was our energy, playing defense," Favis, whose team defeated TNT last Wednesday (101-85), added.
The Tigers took an early 20-8 advantage on a basket by Taulava with 2:57 left in the first period. The Pals were able to cut the deficit to just one at halftime, 3837.
However, Coke used a 16-6 run for a 54-43 lead on a finger-roll by Telan with 7:02 to play in the third quarter. Following triple by Alapag, John Arigo answered with a three-pointer for another 11-point lead, 5746.
Seven straight points by Talk ‘N Text closed the gap at 53-57, but Coca-Cola answered with four straight points, 61-53.
Peek and Mark Cardona scored back-to-back baskets but playmaker Aries Dimaunahan buried a trey at the buzzer to end the quarter, 64-57. Talk ‘N Text, a semifinalist in this same conference a season ago, was led by Cardona’s 22 points.
Source: http://www.mb.com.ph/SPRT20080119114768.html
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