Ginebra maintains mastery of San Miguel - March 25, 2007

By JAY R. GOTERA

The Saudi Gazette

MANILA

BARANGAY Ginebra dealt San Miguel a crushing 102-84 loss Sunday night in the PBA Fiesta Cup, maintaining its mastery over the Beermen whom it has beaten for the fifth straight time this year going back into the finals of the recent Philippine Cup.

The victory was the fourth straight for the Kings this conference as they kept their hold of second place in the standings together with the Red Bull Barakos and the Alaska Aces.

As in previous games, import Rod Nealy led Ginebra, finishing with 43 points and 17 points.

Rudy Hatfield also had a double-double game with 22 points and 11 rebounds.

It was a seesaw game from the first up to the third quarter with the Kings racing to a 14-point lead at the end of the first quarter.

Ginebra extended the lead to 21 points at the start of the second quarter, 36-15. But then the Beermen recovered their bearings and launched a fierce rally to seize the lead 49-48 at halftime.

But the Kings would not be denied as they reasserted their might in the third quarter, scoring 14 straight baskets in 11 minutes in an awesome display of firepower.

Ginebra kept San Miguel at bay the rest of the game to assure itself of victory.

In the first game, Alaska thwarted a last-ditch rally by Coca-Cola to score a 106-100 victory.

Willie Miller led the Aces with 19 points, scoring 13 of them in the final period.

Miller was ably supported by import Rosell Ellis who finished with 18 points.

The scores:

First Game

Alaska 106 – Miller 19, Ellis 18, Cariaso 15, Thoss 11, Bajar 11, Hugnatan 8, Ferriols 8, Juinio 6, Belasco 6, Laure 4, Aban 0, Singson 0.

Coca-Cola 100 – Johnson 32, Peek 19, Avenido 18, Antonio 16, Miranda 7, Tolomia 4, Pacana 2, Arigo 2, Franco 0, Misolas 0.

Quarterscores: 20-20, 51-39, 76-62, 106-100.

Second Game

Ginebra 102 – Nealy 43, Hatfield 22, Tubid 14, Abarrientos 10, Macapagal 5, Echavez 2, Mamaril 2, Salvacion 2, Santos 2, Holper 0.

San Miguel 84 – McMillan 41, Calaguio 11, Gonzales 7, Cablay 7, Espinas 6, Tenorio 5, Racela 5, Pena 2, Adducul 0, Adriano 0.

Quarterscores: 34-15, 48-49, 81-63, 102-84.

Talk ‘N Text 100, Welcoat 78

The Talk ‘N Text Phone Pals mauled the Welcoat Dragons, 100-78, in an out-of-town PBA game in Cabanatuan City Saturday.

The Phone Pals got off to a jackrabbit start and dominated the Dragons up to the finish.

J.J. Sullinger set the tone of the match early while going 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the first period of the game which was the league’s first in Cabanatuan City in 12 years.

With the entire team hitting at a 48-percent field-goal shooting, the Pals took a 53-26 halftime advantage and were never threatened in the final 24 minutes of play.

The Phone Pals improved their record to 2-2 while dealing the Dragons a fourth defeat against a lone win.

The scores:

Talk ‘N Text 100 – Sullinger 20, Cardona 13, Washington 12, Billones 11, Allado 10, Belano 10, De Ocampo Y. 9 , Carey 3, Fran 3, Aldave 0, Santos 0.

Welcoat 78 – Clark 33, Ibanes 7, Sta. Maria 6, Lao 5, Reyes 5, Wainwright 3, Feihl 3, Lopez 3, Baguion 3, Gelig 3, Sagad 2, Compton 2,

Quarterscores: 28-10, 53-26, 78-48, 100-78.

Bernardino, 59

Meanwhile, Jun Bernardino, the PBA commissioner from 1994 to 2002, suffered a heart attack Friday evening while celebrating a birthday party with his family and friends at the Manila Polo Club. He passed away early Saturday morning at the Makati Medical Center. He was 59.

Bernardino left behind an unforgettable legacy in Philippine basketball.

A basketball man practically all his life, Bernardino played for Ateneo in elementary and high school, then UP in college. He began his PBA career in 1979 as an assistant coach, then as a TV interviewer, executive secretary, executive director, deputy commissioner and finally commissioner.