‘Sloppy’ and ‘stupid’ seize early PBA lead
MANILA—Tim Cone described his team’s game as sloppy. Chot Reyes called his squad’s performance stupid.
And these were the winning coaches.
Alaska and Talk ‘N Text carved out similar victories—in that both their coaches were ranting afterwards—to gain a share of the PBA Philippine Cup lead Friday night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
“You can’t complain with (a) 3-0 (start),” Cone said last night, after an 88-80 victory over an equally listless Rain or Shine crew.
“I am really happy with the win, but I am not happy with the way we played,” Cone continued after getting 25 points and 12 rebounds from Joe Devance, 20 points from Cyrus Baguio and 11 points, 16 boards and six assists from Sonny Thoss.
“We were very sloppy and I felt we were playing a blowout.”
Reyes took the self-depreciation a step further after a 92-84 win over sister squad Meralco.
“We just played stupid basketball out there,” coach Chot Reyes said after his Tropang Texters almost blew a 24-point first half lead en route to a 3-0 slate. “I am so upset with my players right now that I can’t even describe it.”
Larry Fonacier led the Texters with 20 points built around five triples, and Kelly Williams added 13 with Ali Peek contributing 12 and 14 boards.
Mac Cardona paced the Bolts with 15, but Meralco still fell to its second straight loss after opening the season with a victory.
So out of tune was Alaska’s third straight victim that Cone stacked it alongside lesser squads it had previously beaten: The Aces defeated lowly rated Barako Bull and the injury-plagued Derby Ace Llamados before hammering this one out.
“Our standards are higher than that,” he explained. “We need to be a better team than what we are right now because if we play Talk ‘N Text, San Miguel and (Barangay) Ginebra, the way we are playing won’t get it done.”
The Painters lost for the second time in three outings after failing to carry the momentum of an 89-86 victory over Air21 Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, defending champion Derby Ace and Air21 clash today in a Phoenix Fuel PBA on Tour game slated at the Naga City Coliseum in Naga with both squads chasing a first win.
The Llamados have gone down two straight times like the Express, but the lack of ceiling in Derby Ace, which will still be without its three best big men, has definitely made Air21 the logical choice in the 5 p.m. contest.
Alaska actually came back from a seven-point first quarter deficit by holding the Painters to 13 second-quarter points. But the Aces were never able to put Rain or Shine away despite their foes’ lethargic offense.
The Aces needed four straight free throws from Baguio and Tony Dela Cruz inside the final 63 seconds, and two crucial misses by Jeff Chan for the Painters to put the game on ice and remain unscathed.
“Maybe, we were fatigued in the last game,” explained Cone, whose wards were 6-0 in opening up this tournament last year before making the Finals and eventually losing in four straight games to Derby Ace. Photo by Mark Giongco
The scores:
First Game
ALASKA 88—De Vance 25, Baguio 20, Tenorio 11, Thoss 11, Dela Cruz 11, Custodio 6, Borboran 2, Eman 2.
RAIN OR SHINE 80—Mercado 10, Tang 10, Kramer 10, Norwood 9, Chan 9, Arana 9, Ferriols 8, Rodriguez 5, Cruz 4, Reyes 4, Bugia 2, Vanlandingham 0.
Quarters: 19-26, 41-39, 59-54, 88-80 Second Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 92—Fonacier 20, Williams 13, Peek 12, Reyes 10, Castro 8, Carey 8, Dillinger 7, Alapag 6, Aban 4, Alvarez 2, Telan 2, Yee 0.
MERALCO 84—Cardona 15, Taulava 15, Escobal 13, Daa 12, Aquino 10, Omolon 9, Ross 6, Gamalinda 2, Weinstein 2, Belga 0, Aljamal 0.
Quarters: 30-13, 49-36, 69-55, 92-84
First Game
ALASKA 88—De Vance 25, Baguio 20, Tenorio 11, Thoss 11, Dela Cruz 11, Custodio 6, Borboran 2, Eman 2.
RAIN OR SHINE 80—Mercado 10, Tang 10, Kramer 10, Norwood 9, Chan 9, Arana 9, Ferriols 8, Rodriguez 5, Cruz 4, Reyes 4, Bugia 2, Vanlandingham 0.
Quarters: 19-26, 41-39, 59-54, 88-80 Second Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 92—Fonacier 20, Williams 13, Peek 12, Reyes 10, Castro 8, Carey 8, Dillinger 7, Alapag 6, Aban 4, Alvarez 2, Telan 2, Yee 0.
MERALCO 84—Cardona 15, Taulava 15, Escobal 13, Daa 12, Aquino 10, Omolon 9, Ross 6, Gamalinda 2, Weinstein 2, Belga 0, Aljamal 0.
Quarters: 30-13, 49-36, 69-55, 92-84
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