MANILA, 12 April 2008 — It took an old warrior to bring back the old fire in Magnolia.
Olsen Racela, one of the oldest players in the Philippine Basketball Association, last night scored 18 points in 26 minutes to lead the Beverage Masters to their first win in the Fiesta Cup, an 89-81 decision of defending champion Alaska at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 38-year-old Racela, who has seen at least two blue chip guards added to the roster as the team preps an heir apparent, also had four assists and two rebounds in a sterling effort off the bench.
“What can I say, Olsen will be Olsen,” Magnolia coach Siot Tanquingcen told Arab News. “He’s a veteran who knows when he is needed. He gave us a lot of lift tonight and hopefully, the team can ride the momentum of this win.” Magnolia won for the first time after losing its first two games by one-point margins. Last night, the Beverage Masters were in firm control and didn’t need to go through another wringer of an endgame before pulling this one out.
Danny Seigle also had 18 points for Magnolia, while import Jameel Watkins contributed 11 points and only six rebounds.
Randy Holcombe led the Aces with 20 points and 18 rebounds, but the Alaska import could not bail his team out of trouble when some of the locals struggled in the team’s second straight loss after opening up with a win.
Talk ‘N Text, meanwhile, dealt Red Bull a first loss earlier after getting 21 points and 10 rebounds from Don Allado and double figures from three others in a 103-92 victory. The win was the second straight for the Phone Pals, whose coach, Chot Reyes, got into a shouting match with import Aaron McGhee late in the third period. It was an incident Reyes said would not harm the team. “We had a big shouting match on the bench,” Reyes told reporters. “Well, we’re both professionals. I yelled at him, he yelled back. It’s fine. It’s all good. That’s just part of our colorful relationship as player-coach.” Talk ‘N Text tied the Barako and idle Purefoods at 2-1. Adam Parada, the 7-foot Mexican, again led Red Bull, but the team fell because the locals failed to step up as the Barako trailed early and were never really in the game until the final buzzer.
Parada, who scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, helped Red Bull chop what was an imposing lead to 69-81 early in the fourth quarter, before McGhee, fresh from that shouting match with Reyes, returned to the game to drain back-to-back triples which proved to be the back breaker.
Talk ‘N Text shot 39-of-88 or 44.3 percent from the field while holding the Bulls to 30-of-81 or 37 percent shooting. They also controlled the boards, 60-51.
Junthy Valenzuela, one of only two original players remaining in the Red Bull roster, was used for only three minutes as talks of trading him to Barangay Ginebra grows louder by the day.
Valenzuela will reportedly be traded to the Gin Kings for streaky Sunday Salvacion, a deal that has been in the works ever since the start of the tournament but one that hasn’t seen fruition yet and has kept followers of both teams hanging.
In a related development, Barangay Ginebra will parade a new import — a seven-footer — when it tackles Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia Realty today at the Tacloban Convention Center .
Ernest Brown, drafted pick by the Miami Heat in the second round seven years ago, arrived yesterday and had a light practice with the Gin Kings. He replaced the ineffective and injured Rashon Turner.
“He only had a very light practice with the team and we will know what stuff he is really made off by tomorrow (today),” Ginebra coach Jong Uichico said.
