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Monday, April 21, 2003
Red Bull dries up Coke, nails 10th straight win
BATANG Red Bull moved one step short of clinching the first quarterfinals seat in the Samsung PBA All-Filipino Cup after the Thunder yesterday stepped on the Coca-Cola Tigers, 102-94, at the Araneta Coliseum.
In the second game, the Ginebra Gin Kings kept their quarterfinal hopes alive after moving past the hapless Shell Turbo Chargers, 76-71. The victory improved the Kings’ win-loss record to 4-7 while Shell suffered its ninth loss in 11 games.
The Thunder’s victory was their 10th straight in 11 outings, giving them the longest winning streak in this conference.
Veteran banger Nelson Asaytono came out the surprise hero for the wards of Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao as the man known as the “Bull” led the Thunder’s offensive thrust, scoring 14 points and hauling down seven boards and making two steals to earn him the Best Player of the Game award.
It was, however, Red Bull’s balanced offense that did the Tigers in as six Red Bull players tallied double-digit scores in helping hand Coke its fifth loss in 10 games.
Red Bull dominated the first two periods, creating a 47-37 cushion at the bend before the Tigers made a rally in the third canto.
The Tigers, with Jeffrey Cariaso, Raffy Reavies, Poch Juinio and Rudy Hatfield leading the charge, outscored the Thunder, 26-20, in the penultimate period to slash the lead to just three points, 65-68, with a little over a minute left in the phase.
That, however, was the closest the Tigers could get as the league-leading Thunder retaliated with their own blazing run in the fourth period, erecting a huge 17-point edge in the process after a trey each from Cebuano Junthy Valenzuela and Willie Miller and a twinner from Davonn Harpp inside the third minute mark of the ballgame.
The Tigers tried to make a comeback, slashing the lead to seven, 90-97, with less than a minute to go after a basket by Cariaso and Reavies and two consecutive treys from Will Antonio.
Time, however, ran out as the Thunder were able to stand their ground in the homestretch with Cebuano Jimwell Torion and Homer Se starring in a short 5-2 spurt that capped Red Bull’s victory. JSV |
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