LORDY Tugade registered a double-double performance yesterday in helping the San Miguel Beermen draw first blood in the 2006-07 Talk ‘N Text-PBA Philippine Cup Finals Series with a huge 118-94 Game 1 win over the Ginebra Kings at the Araneta Coliseum.
Tugade logged in 27 markers, hauled down 10 boards, made an assist and two blocks, while Danny Seigle chipped in 22 points on top of nine caroms for the Beermen.
Dorian Peña also made a huge contribution for the Beermen’s cause as he added 18 markers and grabbed 12 boards, while LA Tenorio and Chriss Calaguio added 12 and 10, respectively.
In the battle for third, the Talk ‘N Text Phone got awesome performances from its frontline forces as they defeated Red Bull 124-111 and salvaged third place.
As if they were playing for the championship, Asi Taulava summoned all his energy and strength and led all scorers with 30 points that went his 15 rebounds as the Phone Pals celebrated their best finish in an all-Filipino conference since losing to Barangay Ginebra in the same tournament two years ago.
And with Jay Washington dishing out a career game and Harvey Carey coming up with an A-1 performance, the Phone Pals practically outplayed the Barakos all night.
Flawless
Washington, was almost flawless offensively, making 12-of-17 attempts from the field and finished with a career-high 27 points while Carey, tallied 22 points and matched Taulava’s 15 boards as Talk ‘N Text wound up with a Top-3 finish for the fifth time in the last seven conferences.
It was also the highest finish for TNT head coach Derick Pumaren since leading the now- disbanded and Vergel Meneses-bannered Sunkist squad to the Promised Land in 1995.
The Phone Pals were up by seven points after one quarter and they sustained the momentum in the second by hitting 76 percent of their shots from the perimeter (13-of-17) for a 63-52 halftime lead. (JSV W/ PBA Media Bureau)
