BARAKO Bull’s Sol Mercado soars for a layup against Blackwater’s Bryan Faundo in yesterday’s game. RICHARD A. REYES
Barako Bull, getting 21 points and 22 rebounds from import Sol Alabi and 20 points from Sol Mercado, easily prevailed over import-less Blackwater, 92-70, last night to join the list of early winners in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.
Alabi played close to 39 minutes and had to mainly battle local slotmen the whole time as Elite import Chris Charles, a fellow 7-footer, was rested because of a hamstring injury.
Blackwater, a newcomer like KIA Motors, remained winless in its first 12 games in the pro league, going 0-11 in the Philippine Cup.
Though Barako Bull became the instant heavy favorite when Charles was made to sit it out, the Energy got more than a handful from the Elite, who led several times in the second period and were within striking distance going into the fourth quarter.
But the Energy opened up the final canto with a 13-0 run and bloated a four-point lead to 75-58 going into the final 9:24 after a surprise three-point conversion from defensive man Willie Wilson.
Mercado was back to his usual run-and-gun self, making himself matter to the Energy in his very first game since being traded for Denok Miranda with Globalport.
“We’re not missing the services of Denok (Miranda),” Barako Bull coach Koy Banal said in praise of Mercado. “We got a gem in Sol Mercado.”
Alabi’s true worth couldn’t be measured simply because he went up against much smaller centers last night. But Banal said that he “cannot ask for anything more” from his import.
“He delivered,” Banal said. “I like his attitude.”
Chico Lanete came off the bench to shoot 19, hitting a couple of buckets in that telling fourth quarter run, with JC Intal accounting for 13 to be the fourth player in twin digits for the Energy.
Brian Faundo tossed in 16 points, a chunk of them in the third quarter where the Elite rallied hard. He wound up as the only man in double figures for coach Leo Isaac, who made a game-time decision to bench Charles.
Charles, ironically, was the very first import to hit town, arriving just a few days into the Philippine Cup playoffs. According to team sources, Charles’ injury is nearly healed and that Isaac didn’t want to risk aggravating it this early in the tournament.
The scores:
First Game
BARAKO BULL 92—Alabi 21, Mercado 20, Lanete 19, Intal 13, Wilson 5, Garcia 4, Pascual 4, Salva 3, Lastimosa 2, Hubalde 1, Pena 0, Marcelo 0, Salvador 0, Paredes 0, Sorongon 0.
BLACKWATER 70—Faundo 16, Reyes 9, Heruela 9, Gamalinda 8, Ballesteros 7, Nuyles 6, Acuna 5, Erram 4, Laure 4, Bulawan 2, Charles 0, Timberlake 0, Celiz 0, Ciriacruz 0, Austria 0.
Quarters: 23-17, 43-35, 62-58, 92-70