Newcomer KIA Motors snapped a two-game skid in style by shutting down Barako Bull ruthlessly Wednesday night, 71-68, as the win put the Carnival back in the hunt for a top four berth in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Carnival held the Energy to their season-low in points, the tournament’s prime Best Import contender to harmless numbers and Barako Bull’s leading local scorer scoreless to rise to 4-3 overall and deny their enemy an outright twice-to-beat edge.
KIA’s output was the lowest winning score in the conference and the total of both teams the fewest as the Carnival held Barako Bull to 40 points less than its league-best average.
“We played the No. 1 team and I challenged my players to give their best effort on defense,” KIA assistant coach Chito Victolero said.
Rain or Shine improved to 4-4 later in the night, but not after blowing a 29-point lead and gutting out a 106-102 win over NLEX.
It was the third straight win for the Painters, who allowed the Road Warriors to tie them at 91 after holding an 84-55 lead late in the third.
The scores:
First Game
KIA 71—Chang 15, Revilla 10, Thiele 9, Bagatsing 9, N’Diaye 8, Deutchman 8, Alvarez 5, Webb 4, Buensuceso 3, Dehesa 0, Nuyles 0, Pascual 0.
BARAKO 68—Lastimosa 13, Lanete 13, McMorrow 12, Garcia 11, Maierhofer 9, Intal 4, Wilson 4, Pascual 2, Yeo 0, Hubalde 0, Chua 0, Ababou 0.
Quarters: 18-23, 35-34, 54-54, 71-68
Second Game
RAIN OR SHINE 106—McKines 33, Lee 20, Teng 8, Almazan 8, Chan 6, Cruz Jericho 5, Tang 5, Belga 5, Uyloan 4, Araña 4, Norwood 3, Tiu 3, Cruz Jervy 2, Ibañes 0, Quiñahan 0.
NLEX 102—Madanly 20, Taulava 16, Cardona 14, Canaleta 14, Villanueva E. 14, Wilson 12, Alexander 8, Raymundo 2, Ramos 2, Villanueva J. 0, Borboran 0.
Quarters: 25-16, 50-41, 86-66, 106-102