The Saudi Gazette
MANILA
MARQUIN Chandler returned from injury to hand Purefoods its first victory in this year’s PBA Fiesta Conference with a 79-77 win against San Miguel Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Chandler, last year’s PBA import of the year, provided the crucial baskets and hustle plays for Purefoods as the Tender Juicy Giants came from behind to hand San Miguel its fourth consecutive loss in the conference.
Chandler finished with 33 points in his debut game for Purefoods after sitting out the last three games due to an ankle injury he sustained even before the start of the conference.
San Miguel had several chances to tie the game or even go for the win. Down by two with three seconds left, new San Miguel import Paul McMillan missed the first free throw and deliberately missed the second. The Beermen managed to snare the rebound but failed to score on consecutive follow-up shots.
Despite his crucial misses, McMillan gave a give account of himself as he led San Miguel with 27 points.
Earlier the San Miguel management decided to bring coach Siot Tanquingcen back to San Miguel Beer from Barangay Ginebra in a bid to break the Beermen’s losing streak under coach Biboy Ravanes.
Tanquingcen returned to San Miguel after a three-year stint with Ginebra which he steered to two championships in the 2004-05 campaign. Ravanes has been relegated back to assistant coaching spot.
San Miguel lost its first two games to Red Bull and Air21 with import – Vidal Massiah firing only 11 points versus Red Bull and going scoreless against Air21.
The Beermen suffered a third straight defeat with McMillan scoring only 11 points in his debut versus Coca-Cola in a road game in Tubod, Lanao del Norte Saturday.
Alaska 99, Welcoat 78
In the first game, Alaska outclassed Welcoat, 99-78, despite a so-so offensive night for import Rosell Ellis.
Ellis was hardly dominating but his ability to get all the Aces involved on every play keyed Alaska’s victory over the Dragons.
Ellis managed just 18 points on a 7-of-14 shooting but his tireless effort up and down the court visibly rubbed on his teammates.
The Aces, who were coming off a 124-113 overtime loss to Red Bull last Thursday in a game where Ellis succumbed to cramps in the endgame which he attributed to the heat at the Olivarez Gym, seized control early by shooting 66 percent from the field that propelled them to a 30-19 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Everything was a picnic from thereon for the Aces as the Dragons desperately struggled in their offense all night.
Ellis, who had the luxury of playing for just 39 minutes, capped his performance with six assists and three shot blocks while Joachim Thoss scored 16 points for the Aces, who shot 51 percent for the game.
Alaska also got big games from their reserves with Reynel Hugnatan and John Ferriols contributing 10 points apiece for the Aces, who improved to a 3-1 (win-loss) record and a share of second place.
The Dragons, who lost for the third time in as many games to Alaska in this rookie season of theirs, tried everything they could to keep the game close but their shots wouldn’t fall. Welcoat shot no better than 39 percent in each of the four quarters. They finished the game shooting just 38 percent making just 24-of-69 attempts.
Charles Clark tallied 29 points and had 11 rebounds but couldn’t prevent the Dragons from picking up their second straight loss and third in four games.
The scores:
Alaska 99 – Ellis 18, Thoss 16, Hugnatan 10, Ferriols 10, Cariaso 10, Laure 9, Miller 9, Belasco 8, Singson 7, Bajar 2, Luanzon 0, Aban 0.
Welcoat 78 – Clark 29, Reyes 18, Compton 8, Ibanez 5, Cabatu 5, Gelig 4, Lopez 4, Sta. Maria 3, Wainwright 2, Baguion 0, Lao 0.
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