INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?Coca-Cola badly wished Asi Taulava was around.

Barako Bull found enough moving room inside the paint after Taulava left the game limping and then banked on a pair of triples to repulse the Tigers, 81-73, Sunday for its first win in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

Magnum Membrere and rookie Rogemar Menor knocked in consecutive threes with only three minutes to play to boost the Energy Boosters past the Tigers, who absorbed their second straight defeat.

In the nightcap, Barangay Ginebra squeezed the best out of Willy Wilson and Billy Mamaril before Jayjay Helterbrand delivered the finishing touches to a 95-87 win over Purefoods.

Wilson scored a career-high 16 points while Mamaril?s aggressiveness in the shaded area allowed Ronald Tubid to score five straight points that pushed the Gin Kings in front, 84-78, with only two minutes left.

Helterbrand, who finished with 19 points, uncorked a three-pointer over James Yap and sank crucial two free throws in the dying seconds as the Kings tied the idle Alaska Aces on top with a 2-0 record.

The Giants fell to 1-1.

?We struggled a bit offensively, but luckily we got a streak going at the right time,? said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

Membrere?s triple broke the last deadlock at 70 and gave the Energy Boosters a lead they never relinquished to the delight of the Barako Bull sections of the gallery at the Araneta Coliseum.

Before Membrere?s trey, Menor also exploited Coca-Cola?s zone defense to drill his own three-pointer

The Energy Boosters, who broke a five-game slump against the Tigers, got an unexpected lift when Taulava limped off the court with nine minutes left in the first quarter.

Taulava sustained a suspected sprain after a loose-ball scramble and was immediately rushed to the hospital to have the injury diagnosed.

?His (Taulava) absence was a big factor,? said Barako Bull coach Leo Isaac.

?Asi was good for more than 10 points and 10 rebounds. They (rest of his teammates) definitely struggled without him.?

The Energy Boosters redeemed themselves from a 99-83 beating they got from the Alaska Aces during the team?s season-opener last week.

Membrere finished with a career-high 14 points while Jojo Duncil and Richard Alonzo contributed 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Energy Boosters, who were beaten off the boards, 48-62, but shot better from the field, 31 of 79 (39.2 percent) as against Coke?s 33.8-percent clip (27 of 80).

Meanwhile, Burger King?s Wynne Arboleda will appear at the PBA Commissioner?s Office today to air his side over the mauling of a fan during the Whoppers? 115-105 victory over the Smart Gilas Pilipinas five Friday last week.

Arboleda is expected to be fined heavily and suspended for the incident, which recalls a similar attack on fans early this year by Marlou Aquino of Sta. Lucia and Danny Ildefonso of San Miguel.

The scores:

First Game

BARAKO BULL 81?Membrere 14, Duncil 11, Alonzo 10, Najorda 9, Aljamal 8, Crisano 7, Belano 7, Menor 6, Lao 5, Viray 2, Dimaunahan 2, Faundo 0.

COCA-COLA 73?Espino 15, Gonzales 12, Cruz 11, Rodriguez 10, Cabagnot 10, Calimag 6, Ross 3, Bono 2, Catli 2, Taulava 2, Gonzales 0.

Quarters: 19-22, 41-45, 55-58, 81-73

Second Game

GINEBRA 95?Helterbrand 19, Wilson 16, Tubid 14, Villanueva 10, Mamaril 9, Salvacion 9, Caguioa 8, Intal 5, Baguio 4, Cruz 1, Alvarez 0.

PUREFOODS 87?Yap J. 21, Simon 16, Yap R. 13, Maierhofer 9, Artadi 8, Pingris 8, Raymundo 6, Timberlake 3, Allado 2, Reavis 1, Canaleta 0.

Quarters: 23-22, 38-39, 66-61, 95-87