Game Saturday (Tubod, Lanao del Norte)
6:45 p.m. – Barangay Ginebra vs Shopinas.com
MANILA, Philippines — The nine-day break gave B-Meg the opportunity to improve the ‘triangle offense’ as mentor Tim Cone played to his new team old clips of the Chicago Bulls title campaigns in the 90s by Michel Jordan, Scottie Pippen and coach Phil Jackson.
The strategy paid off for the Llamados as they ran the ‘triangle offense’ with better execution as they avenged a first round defeat by thrashing the Meralco Bolts, 95-79, in the PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Astrodome in Pasay City.
B-Meg opened a 22-point advantage late in the second period, 53-31, on a jumper by PJ Simon, but Meralco rallied back in the third quarter as it cut the deficit to five points, 63-68, on a three-pointer by Sol Mercado.
However, Simon and James Yap delivered the big baskets for the Llamados in the final frame to help their team rebound from an 84-78 loss to the Bolts last Oct. 15 as they improved to 4-4, just half-game behind Meralco’s 5-4 card.
In the other game, Rain or Shine regained the solo lead with a 93-81 defeat of Barako Bull. The Elasto Painters improved to 7-1 thanks to 17 points from rookie Paul Lee.
Yap, a former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP), led B-Meg with a personal conference-high 25 points, while Simon contributed 17 points, 12 in the fourth quarter before he left with a sprained right ankle with 2:27 left to play.
Kerby Raymundo, who had 15 points, completed a three-point play for a 76-66 lead with 8:41 remaining in the game.
“I think we spent the first half of the conference trying to play the triangle. But now we’re really learning. We had the patterns, the knowledge in our pockets. It’s just a matter of growing and evolving the system,” said Cone.
“We watched some Bulls games (during the nine-day break), we worked on specifics of the ‘triangle’. This is the time where we have to make a surge, make our move,” added Cone.
The Scores:
First Game
B-MEG 95 – Yap J. 25, Simon 17, Raymundo 15, Pingris 9, Reavis 7, De Vance 6, Urbiztondo 5, Yap R. 5, Maierhofer 4, Barroca 2, Acuna 0.
MERALCO 79 – Espinas 20, Cardona 14, Taulava 14, Mercado 13, Hugnatan 6, Lanete 4, Timberlake 3, Ballesteros 2, Isip 2, Macapagal 1, Borboran 0, Omolon 0.
Quarters: 25-19; 55-35; 68-63; 95-79.
Second Game
RAIN OR SHINE 93 - Lee 17, Buenafe 16, Ibanes 11, Cruz 10, Arana 10, Norwood 9, Belga 6, Chan 6, Matias 4, Jaime 2, Quinahan 2.
BARAKO 81 - Miller 23, Ababou 11, Allado 10, Pennisi 9, Arboleda 7, Pena 6, Salvacion 5, Salvador 4, Najorda 2, Artadi 2, Seigle 2, Avenido 0.
Quarters: 17-14; 47-33; 67-59; 93-81.
-Manila Bulletin
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