The 6-foot-11 American being groomed to be the country’s
next naturalized player collected 26 rebounds – the highest in three years –
and shared team-high honors in scoring with 16 points as guest team Smart-Gilas
beat Talk ’N Text 103-98 in its debut game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Friday
night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City east of Manila.
It was
the most number of rebounds by a player in a contest since import Lee Benson
submitted the same effort in the 2008 Fiesta Conference with the now-defunct
Sta. Lucia Realty. And he eventually proved to be the significant figure why
Smart-Gilas managed to survive a team that had just won the Philippine Cup
because of its speed and shooting power.
Douthit
was an extremely intimidating presence inside, and the Nationals displayed an
enormous amount of poise down the stretch in overcoming the game Tropang
Texters who weren’t expected to play this way after only having 10 days of
practice in the off-season.
“We
could have easily taken the ball to Marcus in every offensive possession, but
we didn’t,” said Nationals’ head coach Rajko Toroman.
“He
could have grabbed 100 rebounds, but this team is all about sharing the ball.”
Not
only that, Smart-Gilas was also about toughness, particularly at crunch time.
The
Nationals lost an early 14-point lead (17-3), and then had to fight back from
an 84-91 deficit in the final 6:33 to pull off the win that enabled the FIBA
Asia Qualifying Championship-bound ball club to tie Ginebra, Rain or Shine,
Alaska and Air21 for the early lead of this short import-flavored tournament.
Air21
eventually made it a disappointing night for the finalists of the Philippine
Cup, snapping a two year, eight-game losing streak to San Miguel Beer with a
shocking 92-87 victory.
Josh
Urbiztondo poured in a career-high 31 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the
three-point area as the Express finally won over the powerhouse franchise since
Game Five of the 2009 Fiesta Conference semifinals.
It was
also a fitting welcome for new Air21 coach Bong Ramos, who was acquired to fill
in the spot vacated by Yeng Guiao. Guiao moved over to Rain or Shine in
January.
“We had
lapses in the end but we were able to overcome that,” said Ramos.
Urbiztondo
hit the biggest shot of the night, and of course, it was a triple that shoved
the Express to an 89-85 lead. After Jay Washington had a follow-up to make it a
two-point ball game, Urbiztondo completed his heroics by converting both his
free throws with 12 seconds left, 91-87, before Alex Cabagnot launched an
airball attempt at rainbow territory.
Ira
Brown led the Beermen with 30 points and 12 rebounds while Washington added 15
points and 12 boards. San Miguel has now suffered three straight setbacks since
losing Games Five and Six to Talk ’N Text in the Philippine Cup championship
series.
Smart-Gilas,
formed primarily to acquire an ambitious slot in the 2012 Olympic Games in
London, unleashed a 15-3 assault after that seven-point deficit and seized a
99-94 lead with 1:39 remaining.
Talk ’N
Text threatened to within 99-96 on a pair of charities by Jason Castro, but a
series of turnovers and misses from both sides allowed Smart-Gilas to seal the
game courtesy of Chris Tiu, who knocked in two free throws with four seconds to
go.
“It was
a big win for us because we won against a champion,” Toroman said. “They are a
very respectable team, and probably they are still not in shape. But we showed
character in the end, we came back and I think we deserved to win the game.”
Douthit,
who is expected to acquire his naturalization papers late this month or early
March and become the fourth player with no Filipino blood to play for the
national team after Jeff Moore, Chip Engelland and Dennis Still (Northern
Consolidated), had his most significant contribution in the fourth quarter.
In that
stretch, he scored six points and pulled down eight rebounds.
Tiu
also had a big game. The unquestionable fan favorite scored 15 points and
grabbed nine rebounds, while starting point guard Mark Barroca submitted 13
points and six assists – clear testaments over how explosive the Nationals
could be.
Talk ’N
Text came into the game trying to get back in competitive form after beating
San Miguel Beer in the finals of the Philippine Cup, four games to two. And the
victory the Texters needed to jump-start their confidence nearly came into
reality only to see it flame out in the end.
Ryan
Reyes had a steal off Douthit before Talk ’N Text called time-out with 19
seconds left and with Smart-Gilas ahead by three. Reyes launched the
three-point attempt at the right corner but misfired, leading to the
game-sealing free throws by Tiu.
Paul
Harris led Talk ’N Text with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but committed
successive missed attempts and a passing error in the final three minutes.
Meantime,
Commissioner Angelico ‘Chito’ Salud reacted disapprovingly to a trade report
that came out Friday involving a six-player deal between San Miguel Beer and
Air21. The internet report said that ageing Beermen Danny Seigle and Mick
Pennisi and Joseph Yeo will be shipped for the Express’s top three picks in the
last rookie draft – Noy Baclao, Rabeh Al-Hussaini and Rey Guevarra – and a
future draft pick.
“It’s
about time that Air21 come out in the open and answer to the public,” said
Salud. “You should ask why would they do that? Why give up their top three
picks?”