Kings tame Tigers to score 3rd win -- March 22, 2007

By JAY R. GOTERA

The Saudi Gazette

MANILA

BARANGAY Ginebra roared to its third straight win, beating Coca-Cola, 101-97, Thursday night at the Arena in San Juan, Metro Manila in the PBA Fiesta Conference.

The win lifted the Kings to joint second place with idle Red Bull and Alaska, at 3-1.

As in their previous games, the Kings got the much needed firepower from Rod Neally who collected 26 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists.

But it was Johnny Abarrientos who actually spelled the difference in the game as the veteran pointguard continued to shine in the absence of Jayjay Helterbrand and Mark Caguioa who are currently practicing with the national team. Abarrientos netted 16 points and had seven assists, four rebounds and five steals.

The Coca-Cola Tigers played the Kings on even terms for the first three quarters, with the second quarter ending at 55-all and the third quarter at 78-all.

This was due to the prolific scoring of Coca-Cola’s Anthony Johnson who collected 32 points.

But the energetic Coke import fell victim to cramps in the fourth quarter, forcing Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis to bench him.

With Johnson out, the Kings made a decisive run led by Abarrientos to pile up an 11-point lead, 97-86.

Johnson reentered the game but he was never the same again offensively.

Still, Coca-Cola engineered a rally in the last two minutes of the game as a triple by Joseph Yeo pushed the Tigers within three, 100-97.

But tenacious defense by the Kings prevented the Tigers from completing their rally as Sunday Salvacion provided the final free throw for the final score.

Meanwhile, two revered coaches with contrasting styles along with eight other personalities make up the second batch of luminaries to be inducted into the Philippine Basketball Association Hall of Fame.

Dante Silverio and Ron Jacobs, both legends in their own right, were the hands down choice among the seven-member Honors Committee which selected the second batch of the inductees into the Hall.

Silverio, the well-dressed coach-artist of the now defunct Toyota Corollas, won five PBA championships while Jacobs was acknowledged to have revolutionized coaching in the Philippines. He also engineered the first-ever sweep in a best-of-seven title series in the PBA while coaching an amateur squad – Northern Consolidated – past Manila Beer in the Reinforced Conference Finals in 1985.

Also getting the nod of the committee were players Danny Florencio, Abet Guidaben, Norman Black and Manny Paner, league official Domingo Itchon, league patron Eduardo Cojuangco Jr. and departed mediamen Tony Siddayao and Pinggoy Pengson.

The score:

Barangay Ginebra 101 – Neally 26, Abarrientos 16, Salvacion 14, Macapagal 13, Menk 10, Hatfield 9, Echavez 7, Tubid 6, Mamaril 0.

Coca-Cola 97 - Johnson 32, Arigo 13, Peek 12, Avenido 8, Tolomia 8, Miranda 7, Antonio 6, Yeo 5, Misolas 4, Caceres 2.

Quarters: 20-21, 55-55, 78-78, 101-97