Barako trips Mahindra five

Barako Bull guard RR Garcia. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

BIÑAN, Laguna—RR Garcia was super sharp offensively Tuesday night, towing Barako Bull to a 93-85 decision of Mahindra that sealed the Energy’s first winning streak in the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations at Alonte Sports Center here.

The 5-foot-10 point guard out of Far Eastern in the UAAP hit 16 of his career-best 26 points in the final period, including a dagger triple with 1:20 remaining that had the Energy taking a 91-81 lead to rise to 3-2 overall.

“I am just thankful that we are not playing against him,” Barako Bull coach Koy Banal told reporters in praising Garcia, whom the Energy acquired from a trade with Globalport last season. “He is very smart, and he can do anything that you ask of him.”

JC Intal scattered 20 points and Willie Wilson was the third player in twin digits for Barako Bull, which followed up a 108-106 nipping of Meralco on Sunday night with this authoritative victory that has now made pundits take a second look at the squad ridiculed in the pre-season for being so guard-loaded.

That triple was the third in seven attempts for Garcia, who went a perfect 7-of-7 from two-point zone.

“I think the sky’s the limit,” Banal said of the potential of his crew. “If we put the effort day in and day out, not only in games but (also) in practice.”

Banal would need that effort from his boys starting next week as the Energy will be up against three of the strongest sides in the tournament in San Miguel Beer, Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text, respectively.

Mahindra, which came into the game also seeking to win a second straight match after coming off a 103-93 victory over NLEX last week, never got into a rhythm and couldn’t keep up with the Energy from late in the third period.

Intal hit a triple and Garcia a layup that beat the third quarter horn as the Energy took a 69-59 lead into the fourth that the Enforcers really couldn’t overhaul the rest of the way.

It was the third loss in four games for the Enforcers, who got 17 points and a career-high 20 rebounds from forward Mark Yee. LA Revilla, the pint-sized Mahindra point guard, scored 14 points.

The scores:

First Game

BARAKO 93—Garcia 26, Intal 20, Wilson 11, Baracael 9, Pennisi 6, Monfort 5, Lanete 4, Miranda 3, Urbiztondo 3, Andrada 2, Caperal 2, Sorongon 2, Fortuna 0.

MAHINDRA 85—Yee 17, Revilla 14, Jaime 9, Dehesa 7, Hubalde 6, Pascual 6, Ramos 6, Webb 6, Canaleta 5, Guinto 4, Alvarez 2, Laure 2, Bagatsing 1, Pinto 0.

Quarters: 22-18, 48-41, 69-59, 93-85