(From PBA)
Sta. Lucia’s long, lonely losing spell in the post-Kelly Williams era is finally over.
The Realtors scored their very first win after trading away Williams and Ryan Reyes as they drubbed the Air21 Express, 113-91, Friday night in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Ali Peek, Yousif Aljamal and Pong Escobal, three of five players Sta. Lucia acquired in exchange for Williams, Reyes and Charles Waters, had their contributions as the Realtors checked a six-game slump and, in the process, assured themselves of a playoff for a slot in the wildcard plays.
The Realtors avoided tying the franchise's worst losing streak which they suffered at the start of the 1993 Commissioner's Cup.
They had lost their last six games by an average margin of 8.3 points -- a sorry skid happening after the departure of Williams and Reyes.
Peek collected 12 points, five rebounds and one block, Aljamal logged 11 points, three rebounds and one block while Escobal got eight points, two assists and one rebound to help SLR notch a fifth win in 16 games.
The Realtors secured a spot in the wildcards with one more win or one loss by either the Express (3-13) or the Barako Energy Coffee Masters (3-13).
SLR has Alaska Milk and Coca-Cola as last two assignments in the double-round-robin elimination phase.
“It’s been a while and I’m very happy for the boys with this win. Finally, we showed we can win,” said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.
“It’s really hard to look at the team without Kelly and Ryan. After the trade, the next six games were really tough,” Fernandez added.
“Those six games were learning experience for us. We tried to find a solution, we made adjustments and I’m happy we finally won again.”
Returning from the halftime huddle smoking, the Realtors cut loose from a tight battle in the third quarter and roared on all the way to the finish.
LeRoy Hickerson, Air21’s prized find, had another explosive job with 37 points and 19 rebounds despite a hurting back but it was not enough to save the team from reeling back to the cellar.
The Realtors torched Hickerson and his teammates with a 72.2-percent shooting in the third quarter as they opened a 21-point spread which they stretched to as many as 33 in the final period.
Sta. Lucia finished with a 55-percent clip – the best for the franchise in the conference and second-highest overall -- as against Air21’s 36-percent shooting.
The Express, led by rookie Ramsey Williams career-high 10 points which he all scored in the first period, actually came out strong, fighting the Realtors through three deadlocks and 10 lead changes before their third-quarter meltdown.
They floundered with a 7-of-25 shooting in the third and failed to recover.
Anthony Johnson sizzled with 14 points in the third quarter and finished with 28 that went with eight rebounds, three blocks, one assist and one steal.
The prolific SLR import made a then career-high-tying 43 points as the Realtors outlasted the Express, 106-98, in overtime in their first encounter, a record he erased with a 45 in their previous game against Barako Coffee last Sunday which they lost 103-100.
“I’m very happy with this win which I hope change our outlook. Wildcard plays would be very tough but at least it gives you the chance to make the quarters,” said Fernandez.
“Actually, we’re not yet looking at the wildcard. At this point, we want just to see our weaknesses and strong points,” Fernandez added. (SB)
The scores:
Sta. Lucia 113 - Johnson 28, Peek 12,Aljamal 11, Ross 9, Urbiztondo 8,Escobal 8, Belano 8, Menor 7, Espinas 7, Omolon 6, Daa 5, Misolas 4.
Air21 91 - Hickerson 37, Buenafe 18,Williams 10, Sharma 10, Arboleda6, Ritualo 5, Matias 3, Belga 2, Rodriguez 0,Alvarez 0, Gonzales 0, Mamaril 0, Billones 0.
Quarterscores: 25-24, 52-49, 88-67, 113-91
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