MANILA, 15 August 2003 — It’s Red Bull Barako versus Alaska Milk and FedEx against Coca-Cola in the Samsung PBA Invitationals semifinals which will begin today at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. In Wednesday night’s first game, Coca-Cola toyed with Cebuana Lhuillier-RP Team just long enough before pulling off a lopsided 91-83 victory.
The Tigers ignited a decisive 15-5 run early in the fourth quarter to break away from a tight 69-64 count en route to the win and a closing 3-1 win-loss elimination-round record that sent them to the crossover knockout semifinals.
The Nationals, gearing up for the SEABA joust in Malaysia late this month, wound up with a 1-3 record in their guest appearance in this Invitational tourney.
They scored their lone win at the expense of the Magnolia-Jilin Yi Qi Tigers of China. Rafi Reavis, Jeffrey Cariaso, Reynel Hugnatan, Rudy Hatfield and Johnny Abarrientos all scored in double figures as the Tigers won the game they couldn’t afford to lose. San Miguel Beer would have grabbed the semis seat had the Tigers lost.
In the second game, the Thunder gained the last slot in the crossover knockout semifinals as they lost by only one to Talk ‘N’ Text, 88-87, in a do-or-die duel that went down-to-the-wire.
The win enabled the Phone Pals to forge a 3-way tie with FedEx and Red Bull atop the Group A standings with their identical 3-1 slates at the end of the elims. But the Express and the Thunder advanced because of superior quotients. Vic Pablo three assists and two steals, needed to win by at least eight points to gain the last semis slot and eliminate Red Bull Barako. Four other Talk ‘N’ Text players also scored in double figures. Willie Miller topscored for the Thunder with his 25 points which came with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals. Lordy Tugade added 19 markers, 15 in the final quarter.
