Sunday, June 15, 2008 Coca Cola Tigers, Barakos shoot for top spot
MANILA—Co-leaders Coca-Cola Tigers and Red Bull Barakos stake their hold of the top spot when they face separate foes today in the 2008 Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.
Both the Tigers and the Barakos are currently tied with identical 9-5 win-loss slate, and are just half a game away from closest pursuer Air 21, which escaped a pulsating 112-111 win over Talk ‘N Text last Friday to also post its ninth win in 15 matches.
The winner by either Coca-Cola and Red Bull will not only regain the solo leadership but will also strengthen its respective quest for the two automatic semifinal slots but a loss will drop any of them to a tie at second with the Express.
Coca-Cola, fresh from its 103-96 conquest off Talk ‘N Text last June 8, takes on Ginebra in the first match at 4:30 p.m., while Red Bull coming-off from an 84-75 win over Magnolia also last Sunday, collide against Purefoods at 7:20 p.m.
“They (Ginebra) are a strong team and their import is doing well. But I want my team to prepare for this game. We should work doubly hard now because we are almost there,” said Coca-Cola coach Benky Favis.
Coach Favis has a reason to be wary because the Tigers could only win by a lone point, 82-81, over the Kings in their first meeting on April 18.
It was actually Asi Taulava, who provided the big spark when he fired 17 points on top of 11 rebounds, a lone assist and a lone block, while import Jason Dixon managed 18 points but only had six rebounds and two assists.
George Gervin Jr., who was replaced by Donald Copeland, was still with the Tigers in that game, but scored only 14 points, 5 rebounds and two assists.
Ginebra, which had replaced import Ernest Brown with Chris Alexander will suit up in the game coming off from its first back-to-back victories—the first against Sta. Lucia 112-104, on June 6, while the second was against Purefoods, 89-81, last Wednesday.
Jay-Jay Hilterbrand, who led the Kings’ win over the Giants with his clutch plays, is expected again to wreck havoc on the Tigers defense.
He scored seven of the Kings’ 11-2 wind-up over the Giants to post their 6th win in 14 games and forged a three-way logjam from 7th to 9th position. (FCC)
