PBA Roundup: December 8, 2011

KG Canaleta tries to sky over the
imposing mass of Dorian Peña.

*All images by Nuki Sabio/PBA.ph

BGY. GINEBRA KINGS over BARAKO BULL ENERGY, 88-83

Barangay Ginebra clinched a spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals as it continued to get going, topping Barako Bull in the penultimate play date of the PBA Philippine Cup elimination round. The Kings came out strong and withstood the Energy’s second-half fightback as they made it four in a row and tied the Rain or Shine Elasto-Painters at fourth place.

Mike Cortez banged away five triples and finished with 17 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block while Mark Caguioa came off the bench to add 16 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists. Rob Labagala and KG Canaleta had significant help as the Kings eventually eased the Energy out in the fight for a spot in the Top Six.

Ginebra 88 - Cortez 17, Caguioa 16, Labagala 14, Canaleta 13, Wilson 8, Villanueva 7, Tubid 6, Intal 4, Menk 3, Maliksi 0, Mamaril 0.

Barako 83 - Miller 18, Najorda 14, Ababou 12, Arboleda 11, Allado 9, Seigle 8, Pena 6, Artadi 3, Pennisi 2, Salvador 0, Salvacion 0.

QS: 20-15, 47-32, 67-67, 88-83

JC Intal and the Ginebra Kings have slammed their
way to the Philippine Cup quarterfinals.

Willie Miller slices thru the Ginebra defense,
but it was all in vain as the Energy get eliminated.

B-MEG LLAMADOS over SHOPINAS.COM CLICKERS, 86-74

After getting the fine start it wanted, B-MEG seemed to be coasting for the rest of the way, but they still proved too much for Shopinas.com, notching a victory that assured them of a top two seeding.

Joe Devance finished with 18 points, but it was Josh Uribiztondo who showed B-MEG the way by scoring all his 11 points in the opening quarter. He gave the team a 17-point lead it generally sustained for the remainder of the game.

James Sena scored a career-high 20 points on top of 13 rebounds and Elmer Espiritu and Paul Escobal also came up with some fine numbers, but Shopinas still wound up winless in its maiden conference, the first team to do so since Air21 went 0-8 in last season's Governors Cup. Great Taste also opened up the the 1982 Reinforced Filipino 0-13, but won two of its last five games.

Espiritu wound up with 16 points while Escobal finished with 12 points, a game-high 8 assists and ably orchestrated their plays after Paolo Hubalde left with still 9:19 left in the game due to a suspected strained left hamstring.

Marc Pingris also had 11 points and a game-high 12 rebounds and PJ Simon wound up with 10 points in helping B-MEG overcome a mere-five-point production from James Yap, the first time in the conference he failed to score in double figures.

B-Meg 86 - De Vance 18, Urbiztondo 11, Pingris 11, Simon 10, Acuna 6, Barroca 5, Yap J. 5, Reavis 5, Raymundo 5, Yap R. 4, De Ocampo 4, Ferriols 2.

Shopinas.com 74 - Sena 20, Espiritu 16, Escobal 12, Ritualo 7, Jazul 6, Sison 5, Duncil 4, Aquino 2, Hubalde 2, Canlas 0, Se 0.

QS: 28-11, 53-36, 72-56, 86-74