SMB Outlasts TNT In OT

Team	W	L	PCT
Coca-Cola	3	0	1.000
San Miguel	2	1	0.667
Rain or Shine	1	1	0.500
Ginebra	1	1	0.500
Air21	1	2	0.333
Barako Energy Coffee	1	2	0.333
Sta. Lucia	1	2	0.333
Talk N Text	1	2	0.333
Derby Ace	0	0	0.000
Alaska	0	0	0.000

(From PBA)

Cramping out in their last game Saturday, Gabe Freeman returned with a flourish, stepping up as San Miguel Beer beat out Talk n Text in their fierce Holy Wednesday showdown at the Araneta Coliseum.

Freeman churned out 29 points and 22 rebounds and drew tremendous support from four teammates as the Beermen outlasted the Tropang Texters, 112-106, in overtime to gain solo second in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference.

Dondon Hontiveros, Jay Washington, Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot were locals who helped big as San Miguel became the first team in light-colored uniform to win a game in the season-ending tourney.

Hontiveros added 21 points, Washington chipped in 18 points, five rebounds and three assists, Santos contributed 13 points and five rebounds while Cabagnot shared 12 points and eight points.

The Beermen outlasted the Texters in a furious battle, seizing solo second with a 2-1 win-loss records before the league takes a brief break in observance of the Lenten season.

The tourney resumes on Easter Sunday with Barako Coffee and Rain or Shine slugging it out at 4 p.m. before Barangay Ginebra and Coca-Cola clash at 6:30 p.m.

“We wanted to come out. We knew we needed to regroup as a team, and I think we did a good job out there tonight,” said Freeman.

“At least nakabawi after our poor game versus Coca-Cola (in Gingoog, Misamis Oriental last Saturday). Actually dalawang sunod na masamang laro yon,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“We’re a work in progress and hopefully we’ll be able to fast track it. With two new recruits (Alex Cabagnot and Joseph Yeo), nagkakapaan ang team,” Tangquincen added.

Talk n Text sent the game into overtime on a triple by Ranidel de Ocampo but the Texters lost just the same on a woeful 5-of-10 free-throw shooting in the extension play.

The Texters slid to joint fifth place with the Air21 Express and the Barako Energy Coffee Masters on their identical 1-2 marks.

The Beermen opened the overtime with a 6-1 tear and held on to the lead to the finish.

Going down the drain was De Ocampo’s heckuva game laced with 28 points, four rebounds and two assists.

Harvey Carey had a double-double game with 20 points and 11 rebounds with Jimmy Alapag adding 17 points, three assists and two rebounds.

Import Shawn Daniels continued to concentrate on manning the boards, grabbing 15 rebounds but putting in only 16 points. He was 2-of-7 from the stripe. (SB)

The scores:

San Miguel 112 - Freeman 29, Hontiveros 21, Washington 18, Santos 13, Cabagnot 12, Villanueva 6, Pennisi 6, Yeo 4, Pena 3, Miranda 0.

Talk N' Text 106 - De Ocampo 28, Carey 20, Alapag 17, Daniels 16, Castro 10, Cardona 9, Yee 6, Dillinger 0, Aban 0, Isip 0, Belasco 0.

Quarterscores: 28-25, 55-51, 76-73, 112-106

Penny And David Shine As Coke Beats Air21 To Stay Unbeaten

(From PBA)

It’s too early to tell how far the Coca-Cola Tigers can get this conference. But the kind of character they put on Wednesday night when the game seemed to be slipping off their grasp should go a long, long way.

James Penny had another productive night with 29 points despite being saddled with fouls as the Tigers clinch their third consecutive victory 100-96 against Air21 Wednesday night and stayed unbeaten in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s a tough game and we expected it. I’m pleased the guys didn’t give up even though we were behind,” said Coca-Cola coach Bo Perasol afterwards.

The Tigers held an 81-77 lead with 8:58 to play but the Express rallied behind rookie Ronnie Matias, whose 3-pointer spark a 12-6 run. Ronjay Buenafe ended that run with another trey that put them ahead 91-87.

With pressure building up, the Tigers just became even more aggressive on defense, making sure every shot Air21 made would be contested.

A jumpshot by Asi Taulava pulled the Tigers within one before Norman Gonzales knocked a long three and Gary David sank two free throws as Coca-Cola took the lead for good, 94-91, with 2:31 remaining.

“We missed some important free throws in the fourth quarter otherwise we could have pulled away much earlier. But this kind of wins help us build our character,” Perasol said. Coca-Cola went 16 of 31 from the line.

The 3-0 start matched the franchised opening salvo during the 2008 Fiesta Cup.

David picked up from where he left last week when he was named Player of the Week, scoring a game-high 21 points and had four assists and Norman Gonzales added 10 off the bench, including 3 of 4 from the 3-point range.

“I didn’t expect that we would be three-and-oh. At the back of my mind I would be happy if we managed to win two of three. But I’l take it any given time. It’s a very good start for us,” Perasol said.

The loss was the second in three games for the Express, who allowed the game to slip because they couldn’t take care of the ball.

Air21 had a good start but lost momentum in the second quarter when they committed 13 turnovers. Although they gave up only six points on those miscues, it enabled the Tigers to take control of the game.

For the entire game, Air21 committed a horrendous and season-high-tying 32 turnovers, 14 more than Coca-Cola’s.

Matias led Air21 with 18 points and kept the team in the game in fourth quarter but got little support from his teammates.

Foul-troubled Keena Young managed just 14 points and 8 rebounds and Buenafe added 14 for the Express, who shot just 42 percent from the field.

The scores:

Coca-Cola 100 - Penny 29, David 21, Gonzales 10, Rizada 9, Macapagal 8, Lanete 6, Espino 6, Taulava 5, Allera 2, Ross 2, Cruz 2, Rodriguez 0.

Air21 96 - Matias 18, Young 14, Buenafe 14, Kramer 9, Gonzales 9, Cortez 8, Ritualo 8, Sharma 6, Williams 4, Belga 4, Alvarez 2, Billones 0, Yee 0.

Quarterscores: 25-27, 51-45, 71-71, 100-96