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Monday, January 16, 2006
Air21 ties Phone Pals; Red Bull goes up, 2-0
The Air21 Express equalized its best-of-five quarterfinals series against the Talk ’N Text Phone Pals with a 90-87 Game 2 victory yesterday in the Philippine Basketball Association San Mig Coffee Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.
In the other quarterfinal series, import James Penny dished out another steady performance, leading the Red Bull Barakos to a second straight win over the Alaska Aces that sent the team to the doorstep of the Final.
Penny and the Barakos worked well together anew and whipped the Aces, 80-73, for a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-five quarterfinal showdown.
“We had a difficult time in making the decision on whether to take in James for Q (Quemont Greer). After two games with him, that should have been an easy decision,” said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao.
Near tragedy
After a frustrating series-opener loss, where the Express watched a potential victory turn into tragedy, Air21 this time fought to keep the momentum in the final quarter in front of an aggressive Phone Pals comeback bid to escape with the victory.
Brothers Yancy and Ranidel de Ocampo shared the limelight as they took turns in carrying the team on their shoulders to end up as co-Best Players of the Game.
The older Yancy tallied 12 markers, including a crucial trey in the homestretch, grabbed 11 boards and registered a 6-of-10 filed-goal clip, while Ranidel finished with 17 points on an 8-of-17 field-goal shooting clip and grabbed nine boards.
The winner in this series will advance to a best-of-seven semifinals series against elimination-round topnotcher Purefoods. If the Express makes it through, it will be its first-ever semifinals in a regular conference. (JSV/PBA media bureau)
For Bisaya stories from Cebu. Click here. (January 16, 2006 issue)
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