Purefoods shoots down NLEX

PBA IMAGE by Nuki Sabio

MANILA, Philippines — With their guns cocked and loaded, the Purefoods Starshots blasted down the NLEX Road Warriors, 92-76, leaving them helpless inside the Smart-Araneta Coliseum during their PBA Philippine Cup skirmish Friday evening.

Purefoods was hot and they went rolling from the get-go, shooting 62 percent and finishing with an impressive 53 percent overall while putting the speed bumps on the Road Warriors to 41 percent.

With their triangle offense in rhythm, the Hotshots built a 14-point lead, 86-72, in the final minutes of the fourth with Raffy Reavis converting on a layup off an inbound play that quelled any potential comeback that the Road Warriors had in mind.

Hotshots head coach Tim Cone said that if his team had one game to win, the encounter against NLEX would be it.

“If there’s a must-win game, this was it, we needed to win this game,” Cone said as his team improves to a 2-3 record. “The guys are playing at the top, both the first group and the second group played well on both sides of the floor.”

With the Road Warriors slowly creeping in on the Hotshots as it cut the nearly perpetual double-digit deficit to nine, 78-69, Peter June Simon hit a cold-blooded jumper that put NLEX in a jam, 81-69.

Cone added that their ball movement and offensive rhythm pavef the way for their efficient shooting.

“It’s from the rhythm and not just from individual play. Hopefully this becomes a harbinger, let’s go from here,” Cone said.

Putting the embodiment of offensive rhythm upon himself, Simon knocked down 20 points, on 90 percent shooting.

James Yap also had a fine game with 19 points with Joe Devance also putting up 19 on an impressive 64 percent clip.

Veteran big man Asi Taulava proved that he still brings the bang with 21 points and 16 boards for the 2-4 NLEX Road Warriors.

Box scores:

PUREFOODS 92- Simon 20, Yap 19, Devance 19, Taha 7, Melton 6, Mallari 6, Barroca 5, Pingris 4, Maliksi 4,Reavis 2, Allado 0.

NLEX 76- Taulava21,Cardona 11, Ramos 10, Borboran 9, J. Villanueva 7, E. Villanueva 7, Camson 5, Arboleda 3, Baloria 2, Apinan 1, Raymundo 0, Cañaleta 0, Arboleda 0.