MANILA, 31 January 2008 — Playing the best defense they possibly can, Sta. Lucia and Red Bull atoned for lopsided losses and put themselves back in the fight.
The Realtors shut down Alaska and reigning MVP Willie Miller in the fourth quarter last night and hammered out an 86-77 victory that knotted their best-of-seven Philippine Cup semifinal series at one-game each at the Cuneta Astrodome. Red Bull also pulled even with Purefoods earlier after holding down the high-profile offense of the Tender Juicy Giants in a 93-89 Game 2 victory.
Sta. Lucia took control with a 14-0 lead and then blanked the Aces’ go-to-guy at the crunch to score the win, their ninth in the last 10 games and one which put them back in the hunt for a first-ever Finals stint in seven years. “It was a statement game for us,” Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez, whose wards held Alaska to 30 points below the Aces’ winning output in the series-opener on Sunday. “We wanted to prove to everyone that we are the best defensive team in this tournament.” But offense was also a key for the Realtors, who got 24 points and 15 rebounds from electrifying sophomore Kelly Williams and 16 points from unheralded third-season swingman Nelbert Omolon.
The Aces were led by Miller’s 16 points, but his inability to contribute when it truly mattered told on the reigning Fiesta Cup champions, who trailed, 55-66 entering the fourth period. Junthy Valenzuela scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth, and Mick Pennisi nailed the three-pointer of the game that broke the Giants’ collective backs as Red Bull now has momentum going into the crucial third game tomorrow.
“This win just put the burden of adjustment on Purefoods,” coach Yeng Guiao, whose wards were mangled in the series opener on Sunday, said. “We’ll see what they do on Friday (Game 3).
“I think, from here on, this will be a defensive series. Each team is trying to stop the other, not just to outscore them,” the firebrand mentor added. “We played better defense today, (we lost Game 1 because) we forgot to bring our defense.” After quickly erasing a 0-2 deficit at the start of the game, the Barako led throughout, even posting bulges of as many as 15 points before holding off Purefoods yet again in the stretch highlighted by the Pennisi triple.
“I guess I just got lucky,” Pennisi said of the three-pointer, which came with 3:20 left after the Giants had come within 78-79 with an 11-0 run capped by a three-point play by James Yap. “They collapsed inside and left me open out there,” Pennisi explained. “I just happened to make the shot. And I guess that helped the team a lot.” Cyrus Baguio scored 19 points to pace the Barako, who also got 16 points from Francis Adriano, who got a surprise call to start at forward.
Yap led the Giants with 29, and Kerby Raymundo returned after getting stitches for a busted lip late in the third quarter to finish with 18 points, 10 of them in the second period and six in the fourth. Raymundo and Yap have extended themselves in the first two games of this series, playing a combined 82 minutes last night, and this is a development which Guiao welcomed with open arms.
“I guess by Games 3 and 4, those guys (Raymundo and Yap ) are going to feel the fatigue,” Guiao explained. “Kerby is playing too many minutes, James is playing too many minutes and they just handle the ball too many times.
“It’s because those two guys are too big a factor to be used for less minutes,” he added. “If we can keep the series longer, I think we can wear them out.”
