MANILA: Coach Yeng Guiao had problems when two of the players he selected for the national team proved their worth and helped scuttle his Red Bull crew last Wednesday.
Last night, one who was not considered to the team drove home his point in an overpowering manner as the newly-appointed RP Team mentor and his Barako slumped to their fourth consecutive loss in the eliminations of the PBA Philippine Cup.
Mac Cardona, the unorthodox swingman of Talk ‘N Text, established a new career high by shooting 42 points to power the Tropang Texters to a 103-93 win over Guiao and the Barako last night at the Cuneta Astrodome.
“Kahit papaano siguro dapat nandoon ako,” said Cardona when asked whether he should be included in the RP team bound to compete in next year’s FIBA-Asia Qualifying Tournament in China .
The win was the second straight and fifth overall in 10 games for the Tropang Texters. Red Bull, which came into the game smarting from a 72-80 loss to Purefoods courtesy of nationals Kerby Raymundo and James Yap, took a fourth straight loss for a 3-7 record.
In the second game, crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra waxed hot in the fourth quarter behind Jay-Jay Helterbrand to outsteady Purefoods, 90-80. The Gin Kings improved to 4-6 with the win as Helterbrand scored 19 of his 23 in the final two periods while getting a lot of help from Ronald Tubid and Eric Menk.
“We’re just trying to survive, get as many wins as we can and maybe make the quarterfinals outright,” Ginebra coach Jong Uichico said.
Uichico also bared the bad news that gunslinger Mark Caguioa will be out for the rest of the tournament, with the realistic time for his return now being the import-spiced Fiesta Conference next year.
Purefoods, which got 16 points from James Yap and 14 from Enrico Villanueva, dropped to 5-6.
Cardona shot 17-of-26 from the field, including 5-of-7 from the three-point land, and pulled down six rebounds and dished off three assists in just 35 minutes, bettering his previous high of 38 in a game also against the Barako on July 1, 2007.
His output was also a conference high, eclipsing the 37 points that Kerby Raymundo chalked up in Purefoods’ 108-105 overtime win last Oct. 31. It was also the first over 40-point game since Nelbert Omolon scored 40 in Sta. Lucia’s 123-106 victory over Air21 in Jan. 13 in the Philippine Cup eliminations.
Aside from that, Cardona’s production was the highest since Mark Caguioa had a career high 45 points on June 4, 2006, when Ginebra defeated Air21 in overtime (118-114) in the Philippine Cup wild card stage. “When I looked at the line-up (of the national team), I knew it was going to be a question between Mac-Mac and Cyrus ( Baguio )” said Talk ‘N Text coach Reyes.
Ali Peek added 14 points and nine rebounds while Jason Castro, benched in the first half for failing to come during the team’s designated call time, scored all of his 10 points in the third quarter when the Texters broke open what had been a tight contest. Celino Cruz led the Bulls with 15 and five others scored in double figures, including Baguio , the chief focus of the defense plotted by Reyes.
Talk ‘N Text trailed by as many as 10 points in the first half, but wrested control late in the third when Castro joined Cardona in a scoring binge that left the Barako befuddled from there. The Texters unleashed a 19-4 run bridging the third and fourth periods, turning a scary 68-66 lead into their biggest of the game, 87-70 on a basket by Ali Peek.
Red Bull tried to counter once more and came within 94-88.
But Cardona struck the dagger deep into the Barako’s collective hearts by knocking in a triple with 2:58 left as Talk ‘N Text took a 97-88 advantage.
