| AIR21 IN HARD-EARNED WIN OVER RED BULL |
| Santos, de Ocampo strike in endgame |
| Friday, 21 November 2008 | |
| Air21, struggling offensively all night, worked extra hard on the defensive end down the stretch to survive Red Bull, 92-89, and keep its streak in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum Friday.
The Express held the Barakos down to four points in the last five minutes of play, notching a third straight win to tie the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at fourth place on their identical 6-5 win-loss record. As in their last four games, the Barakos competed well but sagged at the finish. They were left alone in the cellar at 3-8 with the Coca-Cola Tigers clawing the Purefoods Giants, 93-72, in the day’s other game.
The Express played catch-up most of the way but showed much patience and resilience, and were rewarded in the end. Air21 pulled through on a closing 12-4 run worked on by Nino Canaleta, Arwind Santos, Gary David and Ranidel de Ocampo. The Express surged ahead at 90-89 on a three-point play by David off Larry Rodriguez then all but sealed the game at 92-89 on a twinner by De Ocampo off Gabby Espinas. The Barakos last tasted the lead at 89-87 on a triple by Cyrus Baguio with 2:46 left to play. They went scoreless the rest of the way. Espinas, who has emerged as Red Bull’s top scorer in the tourney with an average of 16.1 points, went home frustrated as he’s not able to show up his former teammates, bleeding for only seven markers. Worse, he saw De Ocampo score two crucial baskets right on his face in the homestretch. Canaleta and De Ocampo both finished with double-double numbers with the former piling up 20 points and 11 rebounds and the latter logging 13 points and 11 rebounds. Santos added 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals, Egay Billones contributed 14 points and three assists and David chipped in 11 points and eight rebounds. Regular Air21 starting center Homer Se sat out the game due to an injury. Baguio was the lone Barako who wound up in double figures, rifling in 18. He himself sagged at endgame, though. Red Bull was down by only one, 89-90, when Baguio was forced to an illegal travel infraction by Santos. After De Ocampo made it 92-89, Espinas had his own lapse as Red Bull eventually kissed its bid goodbye. (NC) The scores
Red Bull 89 — Baguio 18, Rodriguez 9, Najorda 9, Hrabak 9, Chan 8, Sharma 8, Espinas 7, Hubalde 7, Cruz 5, Ybanez 4, Membrere 3, Duncil 2. Quartersocres: 20-23, 45-52, 68-71, 92-89 http://www.pba.ph/content/view/2379/1/ |
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