PBA Roundup: October 22-23, 2011

Gary David and Mark Caguioa squared off in Negros Occidental,
and Caguioa came through with a stunning game-winner.
(image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph)

BGY. GINEBRA KINGS over POWERADE TIGERS, 73-72

Barangay Ginebra put on display its resilient never-say-die spirit once again, overcoming a five-point deficit in the last 55 seconds as it stunned Powerade in Victorias City, Negros Occidental. A sizeable crowd witnessed the Kings pull off an incredible come-from-behind feat completed by Mark Caguioa’s putback in the final second.

Caguioa followed up a missed lay-up by Jayjay Helterbrand as the Kings hacked out the mind-boggling victory forging a three-way tie at fourth place among Ginebra, Powerade and Meralco at 2-2. The Tigers blew away the won ballgame as Rommel Adducul and Gary David missed two free throws apiece in the last 26 seconds. As David muffed his with 12.2 ticks left, the Kings executed a quick transition play with Helterbrand attacking the Powerade defense. Helterbrand saw his lay-up rim out, but Caguioa was there for the putback.

The two teams figured in a duel of spurts with the Tigers seizing control in the fourth quarter, 65-59, on three straight triples by Josh Vanlandingham, William Antonio and Celino Cruz. The Kings charged back and drew even at 67-all before the Tigers took a 72-67 advantage on another triple by Cruz and a drive-in layup by David.

Then came the Powerade collapse and the Ginebra resurrection.

No single Ginebra player had an explosive game. Caguioa paced the team with only 11 points.

Powerade’s Marcio Lassiter, David and Celino Cruz all scored at least 14 points that went down the drain with their loss.

Ginebra 73 - Caguioa 11, Villanueva 9, Wilson W. 9, De Ocampo 8, Cortez 8, Intal 7, Canaleta 6, Helterbrand 6, Tubid 5, Wilson J. 4, Labagala 0, Aquino 0.

Powerade 72 - Lassiter 21, David 17, Cruz 14, Antonio 6, Casio 3, Vanlandingham 3, Lingganay 2, Kramer 2, Calimag 2, Crisano 2, Adducul 0, Anthony 0.

QS: 22-21, 35-32, 57-54, 73-72

MERALCO BOLTS over PETRON BLAZE BOOSTERS, 80-70

One more able body for Meralco can go a long way, especially if that player is Sol Mercado. Mercado finally saw action for the season and immediately scored a team-high 16 points off the bench as the Bolts dealt the Petron Blaze Boosters their first defeat .

Gabby Espinas had his second double-double of the conference with 14 points and 12 rebounds and, along with Asi Taulava, made some crucial baskets in the fourth period. Meralco's defense also held Petron to its lowest output yet for the season. Still, it was clearly the return of Mercado which provided the biggest lift for the Boosters as they improved their win-loss record to 3-2 while cutting short the Boosters' winning run at three.

Arwind Santos had his fourth straight double-double of 17 and 13 and Chris Lutz and Joseph Yeo chipped in 16 and 11, respectively. Yet the other go-to guys of Petron failed to deliver their usual quotas. Alex Cabagnot was held to only 6 points, 10 below his average, and Denok Miranda, who had 18 the last time out, managed only 7.

Meralco actually started taking control in the second quarter and took a 36-30 halftime lead, thanks mainly to Mercado and rookie Brian Faundo combining for half of the team's 18 points and Petron going 7-for-18 from the field.

Santos scattered nine of his points in the third canto, all helping the Boosters keep within 46-48, before a more balanced Meralco scoring led by Mark Isip and Chico Lanete, padded the lead to 58-49.

Meralco 80 - Mercado 16, Espinas 14, Lanete 9, Taulava 8, Isip 7, Faundo 6, Macapagal 6, Omolon 6, Borboran 5, Yee 3, Ballesteros 0.

Petron 70 - Santos 17, Lutz 16, Yeo 11, Miranda 7, Cabagnot 6, Ildefonso 6, Agustin 3, Baclao 2, Sharma 2, Guevarra 0, Reyes 0.

QS: 18-17, 36-30, 58-49, 80-70

Asi Taulava remains to be an effective inside force for
the Meralco Bolts.
(image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph)

Chris Lutz tried to rally the Blazers to no avail.
(image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph)

Sol Mercado had a triumphant return after his injury.
(image by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph)

RAIN OR SHINE ELASTO PAINTERS over ALASKA ACES, 120-84

Behind extra hot shooting, Rain or Shine dealt Alaska its worst loss in memory and seized the lead in the PBA Philippine Cup. Jeff Chan torched the Aces with a 5-of-5 three-pointers in the first quarter, and the Elasto Painters sustained a torrid clip throughout for a 120-84 rout. It was Rain of Shine’s largest winning margin in franchise history and Alaska’s worst defeat, at least in the records kept by the league.

The Elasto Painters bamboozled the struggling Aces with a 57.5 percent shooting, and zoomed to the top with a second back-to-back wins in the tourney. Rain or Shine surged ahead at 4-1 with Petron moving down to joint second place with Talk n Text and Barako Bull at 3-1.

Alaska remained winless in four outings – the franchise’s worst start in an all-Filipino tourney since 1995. Overall, it’s Alaska’s worst since likewise going 0-4 in the 2001 Governors Cup.

Chan finished with six triples and a total of 20 points that went with 5 assists, 3 rebounds and 2 steals against 2 turnovers. JR Quinahan, Ronjay Buenafe and Larry Rodriguez added at least 16 points each for the Elasto Painters who terribly outshot the Aces.

Rain or Shine 120 - Chan 20, Quinahan 19, Buenafe 17, Rodriguez 16, Norwood 9, Arana 9, Cruz 7, Lee 5, Ibanes 5, Uyloan 4, Matias 3, Jaime 3, Belga 3.

Alaska 84 - Tenorio 20, Cablay 15, Baguio 13, Baracael 8, Dela Cruz 8, Thoss 7, Custodio 5, Reys 4, Salamat 3, Bugia 1, Mepana 0, Thiele 0, Eman 0.

QS: 32-18, 53-45, 81-62, 120-84