PANABO, Davao del Norte: Yeng Guiao lashed out at his National team players for the first time — and with good reason.
Team Philippines nearly blew a 26-point lead before pulling out a 103-99 victory over the South All-Stars last night, precisely the workout the Nationals needed but one which got Guiao’s goat at the Panabo Sports Center in this quiet little town.
“We were in a situation where we could have ended that game in a more emphatic manner,” Guiao told Arab News. “The reason to me is that we had a mental breakdown. It’s a bad sign, a bad habit if tolerated.
“We cannot fool around with the fate of the country at stake,” he added. “If you make the same mistakes with your mother team, it could be forgivable. But if it’s a mistake made for the country, 90 million Filipinos will get mad at us.” It was the first time that Guiao gave a piece of his mind to his players since it was also the first time in their four games together that the Nationals were pushed.
Jared Dillinger scored seven straight points in the stretch, giving the Nationals a 101-87 breathing room after the Southerners had come to within 94-87 after four straight Peter June Simon points heading into the final 2:50. The 6-foot-4 Talk ‘N Text rookie Dillinger finished with 12 points, three rebounds and three blocks to earn MVP honors as the Nationals remained undefeated after two games of their three-match series making up this year’s edition of All-Star Week.
The final match will be played tomorrow at the Araneta Coliseum against a combination of the North and South starters to be beefed up by imports Jai Lewis of Rain or Shine, Gabriel Freeman of San Miguel, Anthony Johnson of Sta. Lucia and Barangay Ginebra’s David Noel.
Unlike in the game against the North on Wednesday which the Nationals broke open right in the second period, the South engaged Team Philippines in a nip-and-tuck game in the first two periods but fell last night after failing to find the target in the third.
The Nationals opened up the third period with a 22-5 run to make it 73-54 before completely pulling away with another 9-0 spurt after two South baskets sandwiched a Kerby Raymundo layup for 84-58 going into the final 72 seconds of the third.
There were six other players who finished in twin digits for Guiao, while Simon, the MVP in last year’s classic held in Bacolod , paced the South with 19 points with Ronald Tubid adding 16 and Jimmy Alapag 13.
Team Pilipinas already hit four triples in the first period, which it closed out with a 28-21 lead. The Nationals already had six by the time the 4:35 mark of the second came as Ranidel de Ocampo made it 43-35.
The Nationals, being prepped for three international tournaments at the second half of the year, were lucky to have ended the first half ahead by two, 51-49, despite committing 11 turnovers against the Southerners’ eight.
Kelly Williams missed the second of the three-game series of the Nationals because of a severe case of diarrhea, and the high-flying 6-foot-7 swingman for Sta. Lucia will also most likely give up his Slam Dunk title tomorrow without a fight.
“Not like when it’s like this,” Williams said while being interviewed in bed after he was asked whether he would have the strength to compete tomorrow. “My wife thinks that it’s food poisoning. I’m very weak because nothing is staying up, not even liquid.
“I’ll probably be checking in to a hospital when I get home (to Manila ),” added Williams. “I’ve had some bad water in other places before, but never like this. This is an extra-ordinary case.”
Fil-American rookies Gabe Norwood and Jared Dillinger and Jay Washington and three-time champion Nino ‘KG’ Canaleta, who was out because of an injury last year when Williams won in Bacolod , have been left to carry Philippine pride in the contest.
Imports Gabriel Freeman of San Miguel, Jhamar Thorpe of Purefoods, Anthony Johnson of Sta. Lucia and David Noel of Barangay Ginebra will have their side of the event before their champion clashes with the local winner.
All eyes will be on Noel, though, as he takes his winning experience as the US NCAA Slam Dunk champion in 2006 into the tournament. Noel won the title while playing for the North Carolina Tar Heels in the Final Four.
The Three-Point Shootout is another big event which will be held before tomorrow’s main game where Talk ‘N Text hotshot Ren-Ren Ritualo is the defending champion.
Dondon Hontiveros of San Miguel is another ex-champion in the roster, having won the event in 2007 in San Fernando , La Union. Others in the field are Larry Fonacier of Alaska, Jeff Chan of Barako Bull, Sunday Salvacion of Ginebra, Ronjay Buenafe of Coca-Cola, James Yap of Purefoods, Don Dulay of Rain or Shine, Joseph Yeo of Sta. Lucia and Jimmy Alapag of Talk ‘N Text.
