Red Bull, Coke score 2nd straight win - March 9, 2007

By JAY R. GOTERA
The Saudi Gazette

MANILA
THE Red Bull Barakos mauled undermanned San Miguel, 102-84, Friday night to notch its second straight victory in the PBA Fiesta Conference.

It was sweet revenge for the Barakos as the Beermen were the ones who eliminated them in the deciding Game 7 of their semifinal series in the Philippine Cup last month. That loss denied Red Bull another crack at the league’s most coveted championship eventually won by the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

San Miguel played minus four key members – starters Danny Seigle and Dondon Hontiveros who are on loan to the Philippine national team, original import Kelly Whitney who was ruled ineligible to play for exceeding the allowable height ceiling of 6-foot-6 (he measured 6-6 and 7/16 th of an inch) and, last, its coach Chot Reyes who is mentoring the national team.

Replacement San Miguel import Vidal Massiah groped for form as his Red Bull counterpart James Penny stamped his class over him.

New San Miguel coach Biboy Ravanes, known for his emphasis on slow-break set plays and air-tight defense, appeared lost as San Miguel had been transformed by its previous into a run-and-gun offensive team.

In the first game, Coca-Cola joined Red Bull at the top of the standings by also scoring its second straight win, beating Purefoods, 98-81.

John Arigo, quiet for three quarters, suddenly sprang like a hungry Tiger in the final 8:29 with big plays and huge baskets that jolted the Giants, who crumbled in the second half.

It was a very frustrating ending for Purefoods, especially for head coach Ryan Gregorio, who appeared animated and very inspired as the Giants dominated the Tigers in the first half with Jesse King leading the charge. The loss was the second in a row for the Purefoods which lost to Red Bull in the Finals in last year’s tournament.

Kings, who wound up with 34 points and 15 rebounds for his second straight double-double, was practically in a zone in the first half, hitting from all angles for 24 points to help the Giants open a 14-0 lead that went as high as 37-23 with seven minutes left in the second.

But King, who is only playing as a reliever while Marquin Chandler is recovering from an MCL strain, lost steam and eventually succumbed to pressure in the second half when the Giants started to double-team him.

Peter Simon, who finished with nine points, tried to carry the load for Purefoods by scoring consecutive points late in the third quarter as the Giants turned a 60-62 deficit to 67-63 lead going into the fourth.

Both teams fought fiercely early in the fourth period which saw the count see-sawing seven times before Arigo turned the complexion of the game around.

After King tied the count at 79-79 with 4:35 left, the Fil-Am guard answered with a short jumper, fed Anthony Johnson – who actually led Coca-Cola with 33 points and 15 rebounds -- for an eight-footer before hitting a three himself, raising his arm in celebration after giving Coke an 86-79 lead with under three minutes left.

The scores:

Coca-Cola 98 – Johnson 33, Arigo 20, Antonio 19, Peek 11, Yeo 10, Miranda 4, Pacana 1, Caceres 0, Sotto 0, Avenido 0, Misolas 0.

Purefoods 81 – King 34, Yap J. 19, Simon 9, Camaso 5, Salvador 4, Artadi 4, Yee 4, Evangelista 2, Yap R. 0, Castillo 0.

Quarterscores: 10-31, 40-47, 63-67, 98-81.