source: PBA.PH
Sun, 11/08/2009 - 20:08 — junior
ANYBODY can learn from a bitter lesson and Purefoods is no exception.
Taking their coach's oft-stressed words to heart, the Giants bucked manpower problems and Talk 'N Text's tough stance for a 108-102 victory Sunday to get back on track in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Rico Maierhofer, Purefoods' No. 2 pick in the rookie draft, tallied career-highs with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Giants back from an upset 79-93 loss to an Asi Taulava-less Coca-Cola crew two Fridays ago.
Nino Canaleta, James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Marc Pingris, Roger Yap and even Jondan Salvador also chipped in their share, enabling Purefoods to continue weaving its magic spell on TNT and notch its third win in five starts.
“Players usually have this mentality, that when we lack some players they think, 'Now we can lose,'” related Gregorio, who missed the services of the injured PJ Simon (knee) and Rafi Reavis (hamstring) and the ailing Don Allado.
“I told them that even if we're down to only six or five players, we must still go all out to win,” Reyes said.
The loss dropped TNT to a second straight loss and an even 2-2 win-loss slate, putting it alongside idle Barako Bull.
Harvey Carey matched his total output in TNT's first three games with 20 points and his two charities capped the Tropang Texters' fightback from two nine-point fourth-quarter deficits to within 99-101, still 1:23 to go.
But Pingris tipped in a James Yap miss and had a defensive rebound that led to the latter's charity. Then Maierhofer blocked Ren-Ren Ritualo's triple try, leading to a fastbreak by Yap that made it a seven-point game, only 30 ticks left.
Despite the absence of its two frontliners, Purefoods surprisingly dominated the boards 56-31, turning its 21 offensive rebounds into 26 points. Roger Yap had six of his game-high 11 rebounds off the offensive glass with Salvador also notching 10 boards.
“(Assistant) coach Koy (Banal) said the only way to beat Talk ‘N Text is to grab those rebounds kaya doon ako talaga nag-concentrate, sa mga putbacks,” said Maierhofer, who had five offensive boards.
Gregorio said it was more of his players taking the bitter lessons from the Coke loss to heart.
“We're pretty much trying to manage our excitement level,” related Gregorio. “Obviously today we were able to control our excitement level, wherein I told the players to do a little celebration after the game and not before.
“Going quickly back to our last game I thought we were so arrogant and it was a lesson in humility. When we looked at the tape of our last game we looked like a bunch of high school players, celebrating every made shot. Today, we fought from the opening tip to the final buzzer.”
The victory was Purefoods' fifth straight over the Philippine Cup defending champion since last season.
Helping along Purefoods' cause was the sixth foul slapped on TNT center Ali Peek while jostling with Salvador for a possible rebound still 8:01 left. For landing an elbow on Salvador's cheek, Peek was also slapped a flagrant foul-penalty 1.
In Peek's absence, MacMac Cardona (19 points), Yancy de Ocampo and Nic Belasco joined hands with Carey in trying to carry the fight for TNT, but Purefoods still surged ahead to a 94-85 lead, 6:45 to go.
Purefoods actually led by eight points early on but TNT managed to make it a very close game, entering the final period behind by just 76-80.
The Tropang Texters drew 14 points from Carey and eight from Belasco, anchored on two triples, in the first half, enabling TNT to take a 55-53 edge at the break.
TNT managed to gain the upper hand despite being grossly outrebounded 12-25, the Giants pegging the difference mostly off the offensive boards 10-2.
Maierhofer took care of the scoring end as he scored all eight of his team's first points and had 10 of his 12 first half points in the opening period which Purefoods took 30-25, before stretching its lead to 37-29, early in the second quarter. (NC)
The scores:
Purefoods 108 - Maierhofer 20, Canaleta 16, Yap J. 13, Raymundo 13, Pingris 12, Yap R. 11, Salvador 9, Adducul 9, Timberlake 3, Artadi 2.
Talk N' Text 102 - Carey 20, Cardona 19, Alapag 18, Belasco 17, De Ocampo Y. 9, Ritualo 7, Dillinger 6, Castro 6, Isip 0, De Ocampo R. 0, Peek 0.
Quarterscores: 30-25, 53-55, 80-76, 108-102.
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