MANILA, 3 June 2006 — Nino Canaleta has been labeled as the new cornerstone of Air21, making geniuses out of the men who named him as such given the way the high-flying forward has been playing of late. Canaleta scored eight points of his newest career game in the 2:12 last night, leading the Express to a heart-pounding 111-106 decision of Talk ‘N Text that sealed Air21’s Sunday showdown with Barangay Ginebra a literal knockout game.
The Express actually came back from 20 points down early in the third period and from four points inside the final 44.1 seconds with Canaleta leading the way as Air21 improved to 9-9, the same slate held by the Gin Kings, who turned back Sta. Lucia earlier, 108-101.
With both teams being tied, the 6:40 p.m. clash scheduled at the Araneta Coliseum tomorrow will decide which team will advance to the quarterfinals to join Red Bull, Alaska and Coca-Cola in two best-of-five series.
The Barako will await the winner of that KO match, while the Aces and the Tigers will collide in the other series.
For most of the game, it looked like the souped-up Phone Pals were on the way to winning this one easy, until Canaleta caught fire and rallied the Express back.
And he wasn’t done yet.
After the Express had built a 95-90 lead, the Phone Pals fought hard and zoomed to a 106-102 lead following a completed three-point play by Jimmy Alapag off Yancy De Ocampo with 44.1 remaining.
Instead of giving it all up, Wynne Arboleda made the rear end of his charities off Ren-Ren Ritualo before stealing the onbounds pass by Don Allado and feeding Canaleta for a jumper inside the keyhole for 106-105 with 32 seconds left.
Allado then missed a jumper on the other end and Canaleta literally rose to the occasion with a layup and getting a foul too boot from Allado as the Express moved ahead to stay, 108-103, time down to 8.5 seconds.
Canaleta went on to finish with 33 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and the defensive gem of the night when he smothered Allado’s shot in the next Talk ‘N Text possession which could have tied the game again.
“Nino was spectacular, and the team backed him up well,” said Air21 coach Bo Perasol. “The boys played their hardest, even with a 20-point deficit staring them in the face.
“This win is a testament to the character that this team has. And that’s important going into a do-or-die game (tomorrow).”
Mark Caguioa, meanwhile, played in the same big way in leading the Kings over the ousted Realtors. “The Spark” fired 12 of his 18 points in the final 12 minutes earlier as the Kings completed their own comeback to avoid the unenviable task of having to beat the Express two games in a row to make the first round of the playoffs.
“I have to give credit to Mark,” said Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen. As in their first win in this round, the Kings relied heavily on its unheralded bench players, who are shining amid the health crisis that has slowed the team down with key players Romel Adducul, Andy Seigle and Rodney Santos out for the rest of the season.
