PBA Roundup: December 6, 2011

JV Casio and the Tigers squeezed past the Barako Bull
Energy to secure their quarterfinals seat.

*All images by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph

POWERADE TIGERS over BARAKO BULL ENERGY, 99-95

Powerade knows that in order for it to go deep in the playoffs, it must learn how to emerge unscathed from close games. The Tigers, who will be making their first quarterfinal appearance in eight conferences, got an idea of what to expect by narrowly beating the Barako Bull Energy.

Marcio Lassiter scattered a game-high 20 points, but it was the likes of fellow rookie JV Casio and sophomore Sean Anthony who came up with the most crucial points down the stretch to ensure the Tigers' victory.

Depending on their remaining games, either Talk ‘N Text, Petron Blaze or B-MEG can wind-up on top of the 10-team field and Perasol said this game should help prepare his team for whomever it is they will be facing next.

Willie Miller paced Barako Bull with 19 points while Danny Seigle had 17 and 8 rebounds. The Energy, however, still dropped to a 6-7 win-loss slate and are now in danger of winding up seventh, which entails a similar win-twice handicap against the No. 2 team.

The only hope the Energy have of avoiding such a dire strait is for it to beat 7-5 Ginebra Thursday and for the Kings to lose to Talk ‘N Text at elims end on Sunday. Such a tie will be resolved via the quotient and the Energy have the advantage for beating the Kings by 13 the first time they met.

Powerade 99 - Lassiter 20, Anthony 17, Casio 15, David 14, Lingganay 13, Kramer 6, Adducul 6, Antonio 4, Allera 2, Crisano 2, Vanlandingham 0.

Barako Bull 95 - Miller 19, Seigle 17, Salvacion 12, Ababou 11, Pennisi 9, Pena 6, Gatumbato 5, Najorda 5, Allado 4, Arboleda 4, Artadi 3, Aquino 0.

QS: 22-26, 45-48, 70-64, 99-95

Sean Anthony showed flashes of why he might just
inherit the mantle once worn by Danny Seigle.

Dorian Peña muscles his way underneath
for the easy deuce.

TALK N TEXT TROPANG TEXTERS over PETRON BLAZE BOOSTERS, 80-78

With half of their lineup gone, the Talk n Text Tropang Texters pulled off an escape act that handed them a twice-to-beat advantage in the 2011 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.

The Texters stunned the Petron Blaze Boosters, and practically everyone at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, in eking out a squeaker by scoring 4 points made in the last 3.7 seconds. Japeth Aguilar, who was having a terrible game until that moment, returned to the floor in those dying seconds to grab a crucial offensive rebound and make a three-point play as the Texters salvaged the game that assured them of at least second spot at the close of the elimination phase.

The two teams exchanged big plays in the homestretch with Petron surging ahead, 78-76, on a three-point play by Alex Cabagnot with 12.8 ticks left. Shawn Weinsten missed a tough shot in the ensuing play but the Texters never gave up, fighting for the loose ball until Harvey Carey got it then drew a crucial foul from Arwind Santos. The scrappy TnT forward sank the front end of his free throws and missed the last one. The miss, however, proved to be an even break that came the Texters’ way. Aguilar beat everybody for the rebound and quickly scored the go-ahead shot. With a foul to boot, the 6-foot-9 center sank the gift shot to make it 80-78 in the end.

Talk N Text 80 - Williams 21, Fonacier 17, Carey 15, Castro 8, Weinstein 6, Gamalinda 4, Alvarez 4, Aguilar 3, Lao 2, Raymundo 0, Alapag 0.

Petron 78 - Miranda 15, Cabagnot 14, Yeo 12, Santos 11, Reyes 9, Ildefonso 8, Tugade 5, Guevarra 4, Doruelo 0, Baclao 0.

QS: 23-28, 29-40, 57-53, 80-78