The Score

Martes, Agosto 9, 2016

PBA Women’s 3×3: San Miguel, Alaska triumph

San Miguel Beer kept its record clean with a 13-12 squeaker over Rain or Shine in the PBA Women’s 3×3 Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Dianne Ventura led the way with seven points as SMB upped its mark to 2-0 to top Group B.

In Group A action, Alaska edged Mahindra, 12-10, for its first win.

Ewon Arayi tallied seven points for the Aces, who evened their mark to 1-1.

Mahindra and Rain or Shine were only in their opening games. Rubelyn Mendoza had six points for the Elasto Painters in a losing effort.

Focused on PBA, Castro says playing in China never crossed his mind

Jayson Castro has tore up the continent in the past two Fiba Asia Championships earning a couple of Mythical 5 selections.

For two consecutive Fiba Asia tournaments, Castro was named the Best Point Guard and such notoriety didn’t go unnoticed.

Inquirer reported that one Chinese team is trying to get Castro to play in the China Basketball Association

READ: Chinese team eyeing Castro

Castro, however, said he wants to focus on the PBA and his longtime team TNT.

“Matagal na yun eh, pero di ko na iniisip kasi naka focus muna ako sa PBA kasi ilang conference na rin kaming di nakakapasok ng semifinals,” said Castro Friday at Ynares Center-Antipolo. “Yun yung challenge ng management na makapasok ng Finals ulit.”

The veteran guard even went on to say that playing overseas in China has never dawned on him.

“Sorry ah, talagang never kong naisip yun eh, na maglaro sa CBA.”

Ginebra rips G’Port after losing import

AFTER losing import Paul Harris to a gory injury in the third period, Barangay Ginebra played with a lot of character in the final frame to trip GlobalPort, 93-81, in the PBA Governors’ Cup last night at Mall of Asia Arena.

Harris stepped out of the floor with 1:06 left in the third period with bone reportedly sticking out of his hand. But losing Harris only fired up the Gin Kings as they turned what had been a close game into a very authoritative win.

“We won a battle today, but I hope we didn’t lose the war,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said as he is preparing for the worst of having to let go of Harris—whom the team spent an entire month with—without a Plan B in mind.

NLEX also opened up in impressive style, getting a league career-high 44 points from Henry Walker in a 96-90 decision of Blackwater in the first game.

Eric Dawson had 27 points and Carlo Lastimosa 16 for the Elite, who showed up wearing the late Gilbert Bulawan’s number as a tribute to their recently-departed teammate.

“Paul is already in the hospital with a compound fracture, the bone was sticking out of his [right] thumb,” Cone said. “We spent a whole month [before the conference] with Paul, teaching him the [Triangle Offense] system and getting along with the guys.

“It will be heartbreaking [letting him go because of the injury]. I just feel sorry for him,” Cone went on. “It seemed like a perfect situation—us and him.”

Sol Mercado and Chris Ellis scored eight points each in the fourth period and keyed the Ginebra breakaway, with Japeth Aguilar—who went on to lead all Gin Kings shooters with 21—scoring six of his eight points in the period during garbage time.

Ginebra will not play until Sunday, giving Cone and management a fairly good amount of time to shop around for a potential replacement.

Othyus Jeffers, their import in the Commissioner’s Cup, could be considered.

Meanwhile, Meralco shoots for a second straight win and San Miguel Beer tries to open defense of its title on a bright note when they clash with separate foes today at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Looking impressive in a 108-103 victory over Phoenix Petroleum on Friday, Allen Durham and the Bolts slug it out with traditional contender Alaska in the 6:15 p.m. contest.

The Beermen and Arizona Reid get going in the 4 p.m. game against the Fuel Masters, with San Miguel likely to miss former MVP Arwind Santos in its first few games because of arthroscopic surgery on his knee.

The scores:

First Game

NLEX 96—Walker 44, Alas 12, Baracael 12, Villanueva J. 11, Taulava 5, Soyud 4, Forrester 3, Lanete 3, Villanueva E. 2, Akl 0, Khobuntin 0, Monfort 0, Reyes 0.

BLACKWATER 90—Dawson 27, Lastimosa 16, Cortez 14, Sena 8, Sumang 8, Canada 5, Pascual 5, Gamalinda 4, Dela Cruz 2, Erram 1, Cervantes 0.

Quarters: 31-16, 53-39, 78-68, 96-90

Second Game

GINEBRA 93—Aguilar 21, Harris 14, Mercado 12, Devance 10, Ellis 10, Tenorio 10, Caguioa 6, Helterbrand 3, Cruz 2, Marcelo 2, Mariano 2, Thompson 1.

GLOBALPORT 81—Pringle 26, Sutton 18, Romeo 15, Yeo 8, Isip 5, Taha 4, Kramer 3, Dehesa 2, Banal 0, Paredes 0, Pascual 0.

Quarters: 25-30, 44-47, 62-61, 93-81

Team PBA triumphs anew in ‘Old-Star Game’

The PBA Board of Governors kept its mastery of the PBA Press Corps, fashioning out a 113-94 victory in their annual side match in the PBA All-Star Week.

Globalport owner Mikee Romero, a former La Salle Archer and now member of the House of Representatives, continued to be the lead force of Team PBA in the event they love to call “the Other All-Star Game” or the “Old-Star Game, pouring in 30 points despite a slight hamstring injury.

SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua, a former UST Tiger, and PBA board vice chairman Erick Arejola, another former La Salle Archer, churned out solid all-around numbers as Team PBA stretched its domination of the PBA scribes dating back to their inaugural match in Palawan in 2010.

NLEX team manager Ronald Dulatre and TNT assistant team manager Magnum Membrere had solid debuts with Team PBA while Star governor Rene Pardo remained a solid contributor off the bench, firing three three-pointers and a twinner.

Commissioner Chito Narvasa ably tended their backcourt, showing flashes of his brilliance during his Ateneo Eagles days.

They missed out Presidential Assistant Christopher “Bong” Go who injured his shooting hand in practice.

With tremendous boost from debuting players Cedelf Tupas and Jerome Lagunzad and old mainstay Nelson Beltran, the Scribes set the pace in the first quarter and fought the PBA officials in a toe-to-toe battle through the next to periods.

Team PBA pulled away in the fourth as the inroads of fatigue took its toll on the eight-man Scribes.

Chua and Arejola fired 18 points each while Membrere and Pardo chipped in 12 and 11, respectively for Team PBA handled by PBA media chief Willie Marcial.

Tupas top scored for the Scribes with 27, with Beltran and Arloune Miguel contributed 17 points apiece.

The scores:

PBA board 113 – Romero 30, Chua 18, Arejola 18, Membrere 12, Pardo 11, Dulatre 9, Sy 6, Cabarles 4, Villavicencio 3, Narvasa 2.

PBA Press Corps 94 – Tupas 27, Beltran 17, Miguel 17, Lagunzad 15, Terrado 8, Mangonon 6, Galvez 2, Leongson 2.

Quarterscores: 28-29, 53-49, 84-72, 113-94

Player of the Week: Agovida rewards Mahindra’s trust

Keith Agovida repaid the trust given to him by Mahindra assistant coach Chris Gavina with a breakout performance against powerhouse Alaska last Wednesday in the PBA Governors Cup.

Challenged by Gavina to step up in the absence of injured LA Revilla, the 6-foot-2 Agovida scattered all 11 of his points in the second half, helping the Enforcer overhaul a 16-point deficit en route to a thrilling 101-95 win over the Aces.

The former Arellano University gunner said the trade during the conference break from Blackwater to Mahindra challenged him to work on his game further in the hope of earning his spot at the Enforcer.

“Focused lang ako (during the conference break) kasi nung na-trade ako ng Blackwater, sabi ko sa sarili ko, kailangan ko i-improve yung sarili ko para sa susunod na games, mailabas ko ang laro ko,” the 26-year-old Agovida said.

Agovida’s scintillating effort in just 16 minutes of action earned him a first-ever Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of Aug. 1-7, beating established PBA stars led by TNT’s Jayson Castro, Mahindra teammates KG Canaleta and Aldrech Ramos as well as Katropa rookie Troy Rosario.

The win stretched Mahindra’s franchise-best start to 4-0, tying tournament favorite TNT on top of the standings.

The Enforcer will shoot for a fifth straight win on Friday when they face Phoenix Fuel Masters.

Agovida is best remembered for dropping 82 points for the JRU Light Bombers during the 2008 NCAA junior basketball tournament. RD

Fajardo’s guard-like skills don’t surprise Austria

If there’s one guy who was not surprised with the moves June Mar Fajardo trotted out in the 2016 PBA All-Star Game, it was his head coach Leo Austria.

“Ginagawa niya sa practice yun,” he said.

Handling the South All-Stars this time out, Austria didn’t have to be separated from his 6-foot-11 center, giving him the green light to do whatever he feels on the court.

“Alam ko na capable siya mag-dribble. Actually nung college, nagbababa siya ng bola pag nagpe-press ang kalaban,” Austria said of the two-time PBA MVP.

“Yung touch niya sa three, meron sya. He keeps on trying to take the shot sa tres nung practice yesterday, kaya lang pagdating sa official game sa amin, mas maraming magaling sa kanya tumira. That’s why I advise him to stay in the shaded area, but you can never know. Sometimes if the time is winding down and nobody wants to take the shot, pwede rin siya.”

Austria, though, relished coaching in the All-Star Game despite being on the losing end this time, as the North beat the South anew, 154-151, on Sunday.

“Ang usapan naman namin, enjoy the game and have some fun pero play to win. Unfortunately, we lost the game because the other side is really serious. I have to give time to all the players because they are deserving to have at least 15 minutes each,” said the San Miguel Beer mentor.

However, Austria said that he would have loved to keep his All-Star Game winning streak alive.

“Back-to-back sana ako. Back-to-back sa All-Filipino at sa All-Star pero bawi na lang siguro kami this conference,” he said.

San Miguel returns to action against Barangay Ginebra on Sunday.

Brownlee, Ginebra face Blackwater as action resumes

Justin Brownlee can only be meaner and simply better as he’s in town for over two weeks now and has got to know a lot more about his teammates and the PBA play.

The Barangay Ginebra Kings have high expectations on their import as they plunge back into action after the PBA All-Star Weekend, going up against the Blackwater Elite at Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

“Ano tingin niyo sa import namin? Di ba magaling,” said Ginebra top official Alfrancis Chua in a talk with a group of sportswriters in the sideline of the recently held All-Star Extravaganza.

The Kings are off to a 2-1 start with Brownlee. They gun for a third straight win and try to jack up their overall record to 4-1 as they tangle with the Elite at the resumption of the PBA Governors Cup.

Game time is at 7 p.m. with the Elite shooting for a second win in four starts.

Brownlee, a replacement to the injury-hit Paul Harris, made heads turn in a 31-point job before cramping out in his PBA debut. With Brownlee writhing in pain in the sideline, the Alaska Milk Aces escaped with a 109-100 victory over the Kings in overtime.

But the St. Johns alum has since got the Kings on track with back-to-back victories over the NLEX Road Warriors and the Meralco Bolts.

Brownlee delivered 24 points, 15 rebounds and four assists in their 85-72 whipping of the Road Warriors and churned out 26 markers, six dish-offs and three boards in their 107-93 bashing of the Bolts.

Ginebra is right behind joint leaders Mahindra (4-0) and TNT Ka Tropa (4-0) in the team standings also with heads-up games from Japeth Aguilar, Sol Mercado, LA Tenorio, Joe Devance and Chris Ellis.

The Kings, however, have to stay focused as they could well be up for a tough challenge by the Elite and solid import Eric Dawson.

Blackwater could also be more stable with Asian import Imad Qahwash playing his second game with the team.

The Elite are at 1-2, prevailing over the Star Hotshots and showing tough losing stands against the Road Warriors and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

Mga Tatak