SLR 85, Ginebra 113

Barangay Ginebra proved too much against an all-Filipino Sta. Lucia Realty as it hammered a 113-85 win in Game Two to clinch a semifinal berth in the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Center here.

With import Lee Benson out after the Realtors management decided not to play him, the Kings dominated the game as they closed out the best-of-three quarterfinal showdown via a 2-0 sweep.

Barangay Ginebra, which won the series opener, 92-90, last Sunday, got a team-high 22 points from Jay-Jay Helterbrand, while seven-foot import Chris Alexander collected 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Mark Caguioa, who exploded for 30 points in Game One, came off the bench to add 19 points, while Junthy Valenzula had 15 and Paul Artadi contributed a personal conference-high 12 points and a personal season-high 11 assists and six steals.

Barangay Ginebra plays outright semifinalist Red Bull in a best-of-seven series starting Sunday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

“(Red Bull is) really playing well right now. We have to do our homework, there’s no time to rest for us,” said Uichico, who expects a long series with the Barakos.

Red Bull defeated Barangay Ginebra twice in the eliminations.

Top qualifier Air21 meets the winner between Magnolia-Coca-Cola winner in the other semifinal pairing.

The Realtors management decided to play with an all-Filipino lineup after it had a falling out with the 6-foot-10 Benson.

SLR team manager and governor Buddy Encarnado said Benson allegedly threatened not to play well in Game Two of the series against Barangay Ginebra after several of his requests were turned down.

“He (Benson) makes so many demands,” Encarnado said. “It’s ok to make demands, but when you try to threaten the management of not playing (well) because you didn’t get something that you demand, that’s not right.”

“We don’t deserve this. I thought all along that he’s a professional, but he’s not. We cannot sacrifice the integrity of the team and the league,” he added.

The Kings’ point production was conference-high (113) while the 28-point margin was the worst this season for the Realtors.

“It was a relief (Benson’s absence),” Ginebra mentor Jong Uichico said. “Nabawasan ang sakit ng ulo namin. But we actually prepared na nandun s’ya.”

The Kings took a 28-21 advantage. The lead ballooned to 13 (56-43) at halftime. A jumper by Caguioa gave them their biggest lead at 101-68 with 6:10 to play.

Kelly Williams, with 23 points and 11 boards, led SLR, which won its first four sudden-death games this season including two in the wildcard this conference. (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 90, Ginebra 92

Coach Jong Uichico didn’t regret not losing trust and confidence on Junthy Valenzuela even as the Cebuano warrior struggled in the first three quarters.

Valenzuela groped for form early on but came through with big plays in the final quarter as Barangay Ginebra scored a come-from-behind 92-90 win over Sta. Lucia Realty in the opener of their 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-three quarterfinal showdown at the Astrodome Sunday night.

The former Salazar Tech stalwart, scoreless in the first 36 minutes of play, had two three-pointers and a crucial offensive rebound in the payoff period, helping the Kings – Big Time – in stopping the Sta. Lucia charge.

"He’s a veteran and he’s been there before. We know we can count on him to do things even as he struggles in the early part of a game," said Uichico in lauding Valenzuela after the contest.

Valenzuela clinched the win on an offensive rebound off his own missed three-point shot with only six seconds left and the Kings enjoying a 90-87 lead.

Earlier, he banged away a trey coming off the bench, sparking a decisive 12-to-nothing run that pushed the Kings ahead at 84-74.

Then after the Realtors came within four at 81-85, Valenzuela rifled in another trifecta, easing the pressure for the Kings with 57 seconds left.

The Realtors, however, still refused to give up, threatening for the last time at 87-90 on back-to-back three-pointers by Kelly Williams.

Then came the most crucial sequence in the night – Valenzuela misfiring another three-point attempt, but getting the offensive rebound himself, thus dashing Sta. Lucia’s hopes to salvage the game.

Valenzuela’s endgame heroics preserved Mark Caguioa’s 30-point showing and Chris Alexander’s double-double game of 19 points and 15 rebounds.

Kelly Williams and Lee Benson had their own double-double games that went to naught.

Williams, the leading MVP contender, logged 24 points and 13 rebounds with 13 markers coming in the final period.

Benson and Nelbert Omolon spearheaded Sta. Lucia’s attack in the early goings, enabling the Realtors to take control from the opening tip to the third quarter.

The Kings scored 10 of the first 12 points in the final period to seize the lead for the first time at 72-68.

"It was a grind. We had to work for our points and work on defense. We have to play better Wednesday if we want this series over with," said Uichico. (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 111, TnT 96

Sta. Lucia stayed on course for a possible season sweep as the Realtors survived the wildcard plays, getting past the Alaska Milk Aces and the Talk n Text Phone Pals.

The Realtors, the All-Filipino rulers, played with great resolve for a second straight knockout game Friday night, pulling off a 111-96 victory over the Phone Pals to advance to the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference quarterfinals versus the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

Lee Benson, Kelly Williams, Bitoy Omolon and Joseph Yeo all produced huge numbers as the Realtors booted the Pals out to complete the quarterfinals cast that will also feature the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Magnolia Beverage Masters.

The best-of-three quarters start Sunday at the Astrodome with the Tigers and the Beverage Masters clashing at 4:30 p.m. then the Realtors and the Kings mixing it up at 6:50 p.m.

Benson, who declared before the game that it's his last game win and lose, terribly outclassed Terrence Leather, coming through with 27 points and 26 rebounds in 44 minutes of play.

Yeo had another outstanding off-the-bench game, logging a second straight career-high output with 29 points. Williams contributed 23 points and nine rebounds while Omolon chipped in 18 points and seven rebounds.

But the Realtors couldn't celebrate fully as they later learned of Benson's pronouncement.

"We don't have a new import coming. If he decides to go home, we'll have no import against Ginebra Sunday," said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.

Williams, the league leading MVP contender, believed everything will be fine, hopeful they can still make a good run at a second straight championship.

"We'll have a good chance against Ginebra. We've proven last conference that if we work hard together we can beat any team in the league. Ginebra will be no different," said Williams.

Work hard together the Realtors did last night as they dominated the Phone Pals practically all night.

After splitting with the Realtors the first two baskets then falling behind, the Phone Pals only drew level again at 57-all midway through the third quarters largely behind the efforts of Jimmy Alapag who finished with a game-high 30 points.

Yeo, however, had his own exploits coming off the bench enabling the Realtors to reestablish control towards the end of the third then hanging on to win the game.

Dominating the boards and scoring heavily on putbacks, the Realtors enjoyed a 13-point lead in one instance in the second quarter before settling for a 49-41 spread at the half.

The Realtors used an 11-to-nothing run capped by a three-pointer by Williams to open the 13-point spread at 41-28.

But Jimmy Alapag fired nine straight points as against a single twinner from Williams as the Pals narrowed the gap at 37-43.

The prolific Fil-Am guard went 3-of-4 from the three-point area and totaled 12 points in the second period after held scoreless in the opening period by Omolon.(Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 99, Alaska 86

ANTIPOLO CITY – Joseph Yeo scored a career-high 27 points as Smart Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia Realty dethroned Alaska, 99-86, in the do-or-die wildcard playoff game in the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference Wednesday night at the Ynares Center here.

Yeo, the former De La Salle University ace gunner who came off the bench, torched the Aces with 8-of-12 shots from the field and 9-of-13 from the foul line as the Realtors kept their bid alive for a first-ever back-to-back title.

The point production of the 5-foot-10 Yeo, who had 19 in the second half, erased the previous high of 24 points which he recorded also off then bench last October 21 in a 96-101 setback to Magnolia Beverage last conference.

The win pushed the Realtors, who also got a double-double of 23 points and 13 rebounds from Fil-Am forward Kelly Williams, to another do-or-die match.

Sta. Lucia meets either Purefoods, the same team it downed in a seven-game showdown during the all-Filipino conference Finals, or Talk ’N Text Friday at the same venue to determine which team takes the last quarterfinal slot opposite Barangay Ginebra.

The Phone Pals and the Giants were still playing at presstime.

The Realtors played tough defense in the fourth quarter, forcing the Aces to commit eight of 19 turnovers, including four from import Randy Holcomb. Holcomb had a game-high eight errors.

“I’m just happy that my players stepped up,” SLR mentor Boyet Fernandez said. “We just have to believe in ourselves that we can overcome the wildcard, that we can overcome Alaska.”

“I told the guys (in the second half) that we have to follow our gameplan, particularly on the defensive end,” he added.

The win was the Realtors’ third straight against the Aces this conference after sweeping the elimination head-to-head, and fourth dating back to Game 7 of the Smart Philippine Cup semifinals.

Sta. Lucia is one of two teams Alaska failed to beat this conference, the other team being Magnolia.

Import Lee Benson collected 11 points, 17 boards, five assists, a steal and three blocked shots. Nelbert Omolon had 13 and rookie Ryan Reyes added 12.

With the score tied at 80-all, Omolon made a lay-up that ignited a decisive 15-6 run.

The last time the Aces made a basket was a Holcomb jumper, 86-88, with 3:05 to play, but Benson answered with a tip-in to make it 90-86. The Realtors made 9-of-10 foul shots, including 4-of-4 by Omolon, in the final 2:28.

“Hopefully we could bring the intensity in our practice (Thursday) into the do-or-die game. Purefoods and Talk ’N Text are two great teams, ss we expect another tough game,” Fenandez added.

However, the Realtors went 0-2 against the Giants and the Phones Pals during the eliminations.

Coca-Cola and Magnolia Beverage collide in the other quarterfinal pairing starting Sunday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

The Kings, the Tigers and the Beverage Masters earned automatic quarterfinal slots for finishing tied for third with similar 10-8 cards after the elims.

Air21 topped the elimination round with its 12-6 win-loss card to claim its first-ever outright semifinal berth since joining the PBA in 2002, while Red Bull took the last automatic seat with a second-best 11-7 record.

The semifinal round is a best-of-seven affair.

The Aces, who suffered a 90-97 beating from the Kings last Sunday that relegated them to the wildcard, got 26 points from Willie Miller, but the reigning league MVP was limited to six in the fourth. Holcomb added 18.

Alaska, which finished the eliminations with a 9-9 win-loss card, ended its 2007-08 season with a 25-22 record (0.532) this season, slight down from its 30-23 last season (0.566). (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 81, RB 85

RED Bull is not about to waste any second chance.

Showing the grit they are long known for, the Barakos buckled down to work when it mattered most to hurdle the Sta. Lucia Realtors, 85-81, Sunday and snare the second and last automatic semifinal slot in the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Adam Parada scored 19 points to go with a game-high 20 rebounds, complimenting the key plays by Cyrus Baguio, Leo Najorda and Celino Cruz that propelled Red Bull to the win that eluded it just two nights before.

As things stand, the Photokina franchise avoided the dire pitfall of a loss that would have relegated them to the quarterfinals, winding up the eliminations with an 11-7 win-loss slate and pushing it to the Final Four along with early qualifier Air21.

The result also relegated the Barangay Ginebra-Alaska game later Sunday into a battle for the third and last automatic quarterfinals berth.

Red Bull thus made it to the semis for the seventh straight time, leading coach Yeng Guiao to admit in the post-game interview he was still at a loss on how his team managed to stretch the franchise record, considering his charges' oftentimes listless plays and SLR's own determination.

"I don't know how we made it outright,” stated Guiao, whose team could have escaped Sunday night's harrowing experience if not for a 103-105 loss to Talk ‘N Text last Friday.

“We're very lucky we had a second chance, but I still can't explain how we got here.”

Lee Benson had a game-high 27 points and 17 rebounds while Ryan Reyes and Kelly Williams each chipped in 15 points for Sta. Lucia that was hardly affected by the loss, its 11th in 18 games.

The Realtors will face the loser of the Kings-Aces game in the knockout wildcard first round of the playoffs which start Wednesday at the Ynares Center.

The Realtors, who erected an early 10-point lead then saw themselves staring at a 59-69 deficit early in the fourth period, fought back to within 78-79, on back-to-back baskets by Williams, still 3:13 left.

But Baguio fed Celino Cruz for a left corner triple and then followed it up with a steal that led to a Najorda charity, making it a five-point game.

Najorda did his part by rebounding his own free throw miss, leading to a Baguio dish to Parada for a jumper from the right elbow that made it 85-78, 1:35 left.

Red Bull did not score after that but it hardly mattered, as although Dennis Miranda's trey moved SLR within four, the Barakos' defense also blanked the Realtors in the last minute of play.

After being fouled on a drive, Benson was struck by cramps on his right calf, 5:49 left in the game, that necessitated his being briefly sidelined. But not after leading the Realtors back from the 10-point deficit to within 71-73.

Miranda, subbing for Benson, canned both charities to tie the game for only the second time at 73, but Cruz quickly shattered that with a triple.

"Sta. Lucia was playing relaxed, kaya naging problema din namin iyun,” said Guiao. Pinahirapan talaga kami and they were really out to spoil our party.”

For a very long while, it really seemed Sta. Lucia wanted it more. This showed in the way the Realtors raced to an early 8-0 lead and even stretched that to 18-8 midway in the first quarter.

Benson already had nine points after the first period and Reyes three of his total five steals, almost accounting for half of the Barakos' eight turnovers which resulted in as many points in the opening period alone.

Thanks mainly to Mike Hrabak's three-point shooting, however, Red Bull managed to keep it close. The 6-foot-7 forward went 4-of-9 from beyond the arc and already had 12 points at the half, joining hands with Baguio and Parada in briefly giving the Barakos a 29-28 lead and tying the game at 36.

Third-string forward Melvin Mamaclay came in and surprisingly nailed a triple from the left corner, giving SLR a 39-36 edge at the half.

Parada and Baguio also more than negated Benson's nine third quarter points, combining for 15 that saw the Barakos charge ahead 56-53 on baskets by Parada and Najorda, before going to the fourth period with a 62-57 spread.(Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 80, Coke 89

Donald Copeland saved his best for last, and the Coca-Cola Tigers, at last, nailed elusive win No. 10.

Copeland erupted for 32 points in his farewell game on local soil, leading the Tigers to an 89-80 victory over the Sta. Lucia Realtors that kept the team’s flickering hopes for an outright semifinals seat in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference.

The Tigers closed out their stint in the double-round eliminations tied with the Magnolia Beverage Masters at 10-8.

All they can do from today up to Sunday is to pray as they hope to nail a playoff crack at the second outright semifinals seat.

Another thing the Tigers have to pray for is an early replacement for Copeland, who has to cut short his stint with the team to attend to a custody case in the US.

The 5-foot-9 import, however, dished out his most explosive game for Coca-Cola before leaving, dealing the Realtors much damage as they bombed out of contention for an outright seat in the quarterfinals.

"Win No. 10 proved to be very elusive. We’d been going after it for weeks. Tonight, the Xs and Os fell secondary for us as we talked about playing loose and just enjoying the game. We did that and that proved to be the key," said Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis.

"Now, we have another job to do which is a quick search for a replacement to Donald. Everything is iffy in the next three days," Favis also said.

The Tigers went 3-5 (win-loss) with Copeland – the team’s third small import after Calvin Cage and Gee Gervin.

Copeland asserted himself in his farewell game, going 2-of-3 from the three-point area, 12-of-18 from the two-point zone and 2-of-2 from the stripe in 40 minutes of action.

He rifled in seven points in the final quarter, including a booming trey off Denok Miranda, making it 85-79 for the Tigers with only 59 seconds to play.

In this important game, Favis rotated only eight players who all responded well to the challenge.

Jason Dixon had a double-double game with 15 points and 10 rebounds, Alex Cabagnot added 17 points, while Asi Taulava and Nic Belasco combined for 29 rebounds, five points and four assists.

Lee Benson endured a slight strained calf and led the Realtors with 18 points and 18 rebounds. But he had a turnover and a missed shot that hastened the Realtors’ downfall in the homestretch.

Copeland was perfect (8-of-8) from the two-point zone and 1-of-2 from the three-point area in the first half.

The entire Coca-Cola team converted 44.4 percent of their shots against Sta. Lucia’s 33.3-percent clip as the Tigers seized a 43-39 lead at the turn.

Letting Copeland do much of the scoring, Dixon, Belasco and Taulava did the job on rebounding, combining for 26 of the team’s 31 caroms compared to Sta. Lucia’s 21 in the opening half. (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 89, PF 104

It was a tight, intense-filled contest which slowly simmered down after Lee Benson limped to the bench with a strained muscle early in the second period.

Purefoods capitalized on moments Lee was out of the floor, drubbing Sta. Lucia Realty, 104-89, to stay in the hunt for an outright quarterfinals entry in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum Friday night.
Intensity built up between the old rivals right in the first half prompting the referees to immediately call on the two teams’ skippers for a huddle.

But tension died down naturally as the Giants imposed their will coming from the halftime break, erecting a commanding 79-62 lead going into the final canto.

Lee twice returned to the floor but there was no more stopping the Giants on the way to eighth win against nine losses.

The Realtors slid to ninth with a 7-9 card. And worse, Lee’s status is doubtful in their last two games against Red Bull and Coca-Cola.

Sta. Lucia took the first quarter at 23-18 but yielded the first half at 42-48 and fell further behind in the third quarter with Lee taking a long rest after hurting his left leg just a minute into the second period.

"Coming into the game, our mindset was it’s already the playoffs. In the playoffs, you have to be strong. It helped that their import got injured," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

"With a game to play, we’ll certainly play at an optimum level. We’ll do that against Air21. Hopefully, we finish at 9-9 and that would be enough for us to make it outright into the quarters. If not, we’re ready to go through the hard way," Gregorio also said.

The Giants went through easy way against the Realtors with Reda Rhalimi throwing his weight around in the absence of Benson, and Peter June Simon, James Yap, Kerby Raymundo and Roger Yap helping along the way.

Rhalimi came through with 25 points and 10 rebounds as against Benson’s 10 points and 10 rebounds.

With Lee confined on the bench, Reda Rhalimi struck hard in the second canto, putting in 13 points, three rebounds and one assist.

The two Yaps had sterling all-round performances with James logging 19 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals and Roger Yap piling up 11 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.

Simon contributed 24 points and Raymundo chipped in 13 points, six rebounds and three assists.

Purefoods completed an elimination-round twinkill against the Sta. Lucia squad which conquered them in their All-Filipino titular showdown.- (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 95, Alaska 75

Sta. Lucia Realty rose from slumber to end Alaska’s amazing streak in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

The Realtors stopped the Aces on their tracks, 95-75, muddling up the fight for placing in the playoffs with seven playdates left in the double-round elimination phase.

It’s really nice to get back on the win-column. Hopefully, this is not a lucky win, and this could carry us to another good showing against Red Bull Sunday. One more win could change our outlook," said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez as his troops snapped their four-game skid.

A sterling showing by Lee Benson in his second game in the local pro league and tremendous support from his teammates proved to be the key as the Realtors got back on track, catching up with the Talk n Text Phone Pals, the Barangay Ginebra Kings and the Purefoods TJ Giants at 7-8.

Alaska, together with Magnolia, is now just a game ahead at 8-7, good for fourth spot, with only Welcoat having gone out of the race for the playoffs with a 4-12 record.

Sta. Lucia's victory ended Welcoat's hope of salvaging a slot in the post-elims play.

"I think we have to put the standings behind our back. It’s a tight race and we just have to come out strong in each of our last three games," said Fernandez, whose team is looking to score a double-championship in the season.

The Philippine Cup champion completed a twinkill against the reigning Fiesta Conference titlist in the elims – thanks to the double-double game of Benson and the twin-digit contributions of Nelbert Omolon, Kelly Williams and Joseph Yeo.

Benson, an ex-convict looking to make good in the PBA, completely outplayed Randy Holcomb, collaring 28 rebounds and rifling in 22 points.

Benson's 28 boards is the third best in the season after the two 29s of Chris Alexander of Ginebra.

"I think we’ve got a good import who’s really intense. I believe he can bring us to where we want to be," said Fernandez of his prized find who took over from Jamar Brown.

Benson, upstaged by Amal McCaskill the last time out, came out strong, helping Sta. Lucia establish control early.

Omolon, Williams and Yeo chipped in their share as the Realtors pounced on the Aces’ flat start and never let up for the emphatic victory.

Omolon logged 18 points four rebounds and two assists, Williams tallied 17 points and six rebounds while Yeo put in 11 points, two assists and two rebounds.

Incidentally, the team suspended Yeo in their last game as a disciplinary action for his fight with teammate Philip Butel in practice.

The Aces threw bricks in the opening quarter, shooting only 20 percent from the field.

Alaska improved its shooting in the second period but Sta. Lucia continued to set the pace, taking the half at 49-32.

Benson had logged double-double numbers right in the first half with 13 rebounds and 12 points.- (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 74, MBM 80

Rookie guard Jonas Villanueva took advantage of Mike Cortez's absence as he fired a career-best 12 points, nine coming in the final frame as he helped Magnolia beat Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia Realty, 80-74, in the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference last 13 June 2008 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

The 6-foot Villanueva, who averaged just 4.4 points in his first nine games this conference, scored five straight points – a three-pointer and a lay-up against the outstretched arms of new SLR import Lee Benson, giving the Beverage Masters a 72-57 lead with 7:04 left in the game.

Another basket by Danny Seigle, who finished with 11 points, put Magnolia ahead, 74-57, with six minutes to play.

“As much as possible, every young guy wants to get (playing) minutes,” Magnolia head coach Siot Tanquingcen said of Villanueva, the team's ninth overall pick in the PBA Rookie Draft last August.

“Jonas is our up and coming point guard. He is learning from two very good point guards (Mike Cortez and Olsen Racela), but the good thing about him is he can move up to shooting guard. It speaks well of his talent,” he added.

Villanueva, a nephew of Jesus Is Lord (JIL) leader Bro. Eddie Villanueva, also came off the bench to collect four rebounds and four assists. In nine previous games he played, the one-time Fa Eastern U stalwart averaged just 12 minutes as the third point guard Cortez, sidelined due back spasms and the veteran Racela. He played 19 minutes against SLR.

“I know I have to wait for my time, and in this game kailangan tumulong,” said Villanueva, 25, whose previous high was 11 points in against Red Bull last Sunday, making it the second straight game he reset his career-high in scoring.

The Beverage Masters improved their record to 8-7, while dealing the Realtors their fourth straight defeat to drop to 6-8. It also avenged an 86-88 defeat to Sta. Lucia in their first round meeting last April 6.

Magnolia’s new import Amal McCaskill, an NBA veteran who replaced Jameel Watkins, finished with 16 points and 18 rebounds.

“I’m satisfied,” Tanquingcen said. “Amal somehow gave us what we expected from him.”

“The main thing we’re concerned is we can’t relax, we have to make sure that we build on it. It’s either we end up in the semis, or quarters or wildcard,” Tanquingcen.

Dorian Pena split his free throws and Don-Don Hontiveros, who had 12 points in his first game back after missing their last three because of a severe ankle sprain, nailed a jumper for a 78-67 lead when Sta. Lucia moved within nine, 67-76.

Benson, the Realtors’ third import after Wesley Wilson and Jamar Brown, had 19 points and 17 boards, while Kelly Williams added 16 and 12 boards. Nelbert Omolon came off the bench to contribute 11.

Sta. Lucia, which was held to its lowest output this season, played without Joseph Yeo and rookie Philip Butel, who were reportedly suspended for the game by team officials for figuring in a fight with each other during a team practice last Monday.(Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 104, Ginebra 112

A Sta. Lucia team minus top gun Kelly Williams proved to be an easy prey for Barangay Ginebra last Friday, 06 June 2008, in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The Kings pounded and pummeled the Williams-less Realtors, again gaining ground on the pacesetters. Though also missing a key player in the injured Mark Caguioa, the Kings had a relatively easy time posting their fourth win in their last five games.

The final count didn’t show the true reflection of the game since the Kings lowered down their guard after storming to a 26-point lead in the third quarter.

Torrid shooting and no-nonsense defense did it for the Kings as they avenged their 97-101 defeat to the Realtors in their previous match and jacked up their overall win-loss record to 5-8 – now two full games clear of Welcoat’s 3-10.

"Everything fell into place for us while Sta. Lucia struggled minus Kelly Williams," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

"Good win and hopefully we’ll be able to make another run because we have a lot of catching up to do," Uichico added.

Three Kings in Chris Alexander, Jayjay Helterbrand and Ronald Tubid scored personal conference highs to lead the Ginebra juggernaut.

Alexander finished with 35 points and 25 rebounds. Helterbrand fired 31 points and Tubid rattled in 17.

The Realtors suffered a third straight loss and slid to 6-7, no thanks to the absence of Williams, who is in the United States to marry his longtime girlfriend
there.

Jamar Brown couldn’t provide the spark. Dennis Espino also recorded a personal conference high 28 points but his explosion came a little too late to save the team from further slide.

The Realtors exploited the situation with the Kings relaxing at the finish, scoring a season-high 46 points in the final quarter.

Ginebra established control early and sat on a 55-37 cushion at the turn.

Tubid went 3-of-3 from the three-point area and Helterbrand converted four of five three-point attempts highlighting the Kings’ first-half splurge.

Alexander imposed his will versus Brown early, piling up double-double numbers with 15 points and 11 rebounds right in the first 24 minutes of play.

After a brief skirmish marked by three deadlocks and three lead changes, the Kings controlled the tempo and erected a 29-17 lead in the first quarter.(Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 93, Air21 95

Air21 coach Bo Perasol is not one to be overly concerned when his team trails early.

“Starting out lousy is nothing but finishing strong. It will be the win that counts,” he reasoned.

And that's precisely what the Express did in overcoming an early 18-point deficit to beat the Sta. Lucia Realtors 95-93 in overtime Sunday in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

Despite a bout with the flu, Steven Thomas came up with 24 points, 21 rebounds and 10 assists for the season's first triple double while Arwind Santos and Gary David came up with the crucial points that made the victory possible.

“I told them that it's going to be their heart, composure that are going to count in overtime and those did,” related Perasol after his team won a second straight game and improved its win-loss record to 8-5 and a tie with Red Bull at second, just half a game behind league-leading Coca-Cola..

The positive traits Perasol talked about surfaced in the tenser minutes of the extension after both teams finished regulation locked at 86.

Santos' triple gave him 20 for the game and Air21 a 91-89 edge, and David's clutch free throws put the Express ahead to stay, 93-91, 1:16 to go.

The shooting woes that hounded SLR in regulation spilled over into OT as Jamar Brown and Dennis Espino missed from underneath while Dennis Miranda traveled, leading to David capping his own 24-point performance with two more charities that made it a safer 95-91 game.

Williams still led SLR with 27 points and seven rebounds while Brown, who arrived only last Friday, showed some side effects of jetlag just setting in with 14 points and 24 boards.

Williams' dunk opened scoring in the extension and Brown completed a woeful 4-of-12 stint from the stripe with a charity split that made it an 89-88 count.

Then came Santos' dagger of a trey and SLR's virtual collapse in the homestretch.

Reyes played almost brilliantly in the closing minute of regulation, scoring off Williams' feed to give his team the upper hand and following that up with two free throws to make it an 86-83 count, 45 ticks left.

But he failed to become the outright hero when he bungled two charities that could have iced it, leading to Santos' game-tying triple. And he almost became the goat when his passing error led to an Air21 possession in the final two seconds.

Good thing Santos missed a desperate heave from just beyond midcourt.

Sta. Lucia could consider itself lucky to have survived the quarter as it made only two of 14 shots and only stayed afloat through 10-of-16 free throw shooting.

Tempers started to flare after Wynne Arboleda tied up Williams following a steal try, 4:47 to go in the third. The SLR forward reacted negatively to Arboleda by sneaking in what looked like a punch while Homer Se got into the act by visibly planting a knee on the fallen Williams' face and then hitting Reyes on the face with his left hand when the rookie reacted to the veteran center's obvious foul.

The referees, however, prevented the situation from getting out of hand and sort of evened up matters by assessing Williams with a technical for a second motion on Arboleda and Se with a flagrant foul-penalty one for the knee.

The incident seemed to fire up the Realtors even more and they padded what was a 57-53 lead to 72-64 going into the final quarter. Williams scored six of his 12 quarter points in that stretch.

The virtual shootout between Williams and David first took shape in the second quarter as they came up with the points that propped their respective teams the most.

Williams scattered nine of his 11 first half points in the period, six coming during a 14-4 surge that staked his team to a 36-18 spread, 6:29 to go. Then it was David's turn, spreading out the bulk of his 10 quarter points in keeping his team within reach and keep it close, 36-43, at the turn. (Source: PBA Site)

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SLR 74, PF 82

Purefoods pulled off some measure of revenge versus Philippine Cup finals tormentor Sta. Lucia in their first meeting in the import-laced tourney.

The Giants finished strong in the third quarter and sustained their romp in the final period to rip the Realtors, 82-74, and hit the .500 mark in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome Sunday night.

James Yap starred in their third-quarter onslaught then Peter June Simon took over in the fourth, leading the Giants to victory in what had earlier been a defensive battle.

"We're pretty much on the rise because of our newfound weapon – defense," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio moments after they nailed their fifth win in 10 outings.

"We've made progress from a struggling team into a middle team because of defense. We have an import comfortable playing off the ball and the locals are responding tremendously with him," Gregorio added.

Against the Realtors, Gregorio said the key was completely taking away the game of Sta. Lucia import Wesley Wilson.

Simon and Yap combined for 43 points, Reda Rhalimi logged 19 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks, and the whole Purefoods team put up an efficient defense limiting Wilson to 10 points and five rebounds.

Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez just couldn't squeeze out anything from Wilson in the fourth quarter that he gambled on his locals entering the homestretch.

After falling behind by 12, 64-76, the best the Realtors could get was at 72-80.

It was a sorry loss for the Realtors who took the half at 37-35 and seized control midway in the third period with a nine-point lead.

Yap and Rhalimi stopped the Realtors on their tracks, joining forces as Purefoods staged a counter-attack to grab the upperhand at 56-55.

The Realtors regained the lead, 60-59, at the end of the third before Simon took over the game at the start of the final canto.

Simon, the MVP in the recent All-Star game, rattled in six straight points to start the final quarter and there was no stopping the Giants from there.

The Giants shot 42.1 percent from the field while holding the Realtors to a 34.1-percent shooting.

Purefoods also did much better in rebounding with Rhalimi and Jondan Salvador combining for 30 of the team's 61 caroms as against Sta. Lucia's 38.

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SLR 88,Welcoat 79

If last Friday was a bad night for the Sta. Lucia Realtors, it was worse for the Welcoat Dragons. The Realtors committed at least 10 travelling violations, but the Dragons missed four important free throws with less than a minute to go and the Realtors up by only one to basically hand the game to the SLR, 88-79.

The Dragons suffered a third straight defeat and moved further down the chart with a 3-8 slate while the Realtors is half a game behind the leaders with a 6-4 record in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference Friday night at the Ynares Center here.

Wesley Wilson was the best player of the game as he came up with his personal conference high numbers with Dennis Espino groping for form and Marlou Aquino sitting out the contest due to fever. Wilson threw his full weight against Marquis Gainous and his Welcoat teammates as he bounced back from a dismal 9-point output in Cagayan de Oro City loss to the Talk N' Text Phone Pals one week ago.

The former Georgetown Hoya came up with 34 points, 19 rebounds and four assists – all personal conference highs – and the Realtors upended the Dragons to catch up with the Air21 Express at fourth place with a 6-4 card.

"The timing was perfect for Wesley to come through with that kind of game," said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez of his 6-foot-11 import who bounced back strong from a poor nine-point showing the last time out.

The Realtors set out for the game short-handed with Aquino nursing a fever. The going got tougher for Sta. Lucia with Espino struggling with his game.

But thanks, too, for the efforts of Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes, Sta. Lucia survived the ordeal, getting back on track, just half a game-behind joint leaders Red Bull, Talk n Text and Coca-Cola at 7-4.

Williams logged 16 points and seven rebounds while Reyes had a near triple-double performance with 12 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

Espino went scoreless in only seven minutes of action. Paolo Mendoza, another veteran SLR mainstay, also finished with a fat zero.

Blowing hot and cold, the Realtors pulled through on a 13-1 closing run.

The Realtors went on the killer attack just after squandering an 11-point lead and falling behind at 78-75 with 3:36 left to play.

The Dragons slowly faded away, losing the momentum of their fourth-quarter siege on five straight missed free throws.

Corey Santee, who made eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, accounted for two missed free throws and later bungled a crucial three-point attempt.

Welcoat went without a field-goal basket in the last 3:26 of play.

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SLR 80, TnT 90

Last Saturday (17 may 2008) in Cagayan de Oro City, was the day that Sta. Lucia Realtors' import, Wesley Wilson, would soon like to forget, but Talk N' Text Phone Pals' Macmac Cardona would rather cherished. Cardona played like an import against the Realtors while Wilson struggled from start to finished.

Cardona erupted for 31 points, and Talk n Text held off a fiery fourth-quarter uprising of the Sta. Lucia locals, pulling off a 90-80 win in a 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference road showcase at the Xavier University gym.

The Pals nearly blew away a 22-point margin but steadied themselves up at the finish to notch their fifth win in their last six games.

Upending the Realtors on a nine-to-nothing closing run, the Pals now shared the best record with the Red Bull squad (7-3), after the latter lost to the Alaska Milk Aces last Sunday.

With Wilson already riding the bench, the Realtors rallied to within one, at 78-79 and 80-81, only to bungle their comeback bid which could have moved them two rungs up to second at 6-3.

Instead, Sta. Lucia slid to joint fourth with Magnolia and Air21 at 5-4.

Aaron McGhee did a decent job, scoring 19 points, including five free throws in their killer homestretch run in this out-of-town setto sponsored by Hanes.

Talk n Text jumped the gun on Sta. Lucia, 18-6, and led by as many as 22 points, 66-44, with the Pals exploiting Wilson’s lackadaisical performance.

It took Sta. Lucia the valiant efforts of their local warriors as the Realtors waged an uprising, closing in at 72-75 with still five minutes left to play.

A six-to-nil SLR roll courtesy of Ryan Reyes, Bitoy Omolon and Kelly Williams had the Realtors coming within one at 78-79 with time down to 2:38.

However, after Don Allado and Williams traded two points each, the Realtors lost their sting, apparently spending themselves on their rally from the depth of a 22-point deficit.

Sta. Lucia went scoreless in the last 1:48 of play, missing four field-goal attempts and committing an error.

Wilson finished with only nine points in his so-so game. Omolon topscored for the team with 13.

At 78-79, the Realtors had a chance to go ahead but Williams missed a forced shot against three defenders underneath the basket.

The Pals rifled in a hail of three-points in a fiery start that had them taking the opening quarter at 22-16 and the first half at 47-33.

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SLR 113, Air21 100

After playing lackluster basketball in a sorry 75-108 loss to Redbull last Wednesday, Sta. Lucia Realtors vent all their frustration on the hapless Air21 Express to fashion a convincing 113-100 win in the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

The victory was the fifth in eight games for the Realtors and they readily headed towards that direction after showing the form that made them the top defensive team in the season-opening Philippine Cup they won.

Sta. Lucia forced Air21 to 29 turnovers, second worst in the conference, pulled off 10 steals and swatted away nine shots.

The Realtors were led by sensational sophomore Kelly Williams and Wesley Wilson with 25 points each while rookie of the year candidate Ryan Reyes rebounded from a scoreless stint in a game against Red Bull by chipping in 15 points and dishing out 10 of Sta. Lucia's 27 assists.

"It's nice to come back from such a loss with a win like this," said coach Boyet Fernandez. "We were really trying to make a statement on defense because we played badly in defense versus Red Bull."

Steven Thomas had 24 points and 10 rebounds and five Air21 locals scored at least 10 points each. But the Express fell to an even 4-4 win-loss card and a tie with idle Magnolia after failing to match the Realtors' intensity on both ends of the floor.

"Naging committed ang players to play defense and we really made a conscious effort to stop their transition game," said Fernandez.

Records show that Air21 coach Bo Perasol’s efforts to instill a defensive mind-set to his team has borne fruits after the Bert Lina-owned franchise won four games in this conference and their last nine games dating back to the RP Cup when limiting opponents below 100 points.

That was not to be the case Sunday, though, as the Realtors led from start to finish and even posted two 19-point spreads in the third quarter, the last at 82-63.

Due mainly to frustration at a 49-64 halftime deficit, the Air21 game turned from physical to rough in the last two quarters and this irked Fernandez to a certain extent since they were coming from a game in which Wilson was fined a total P65,000 and narrowly missed being suspended due to an altercation with Red Bull counterpart Adam Parada. Still, he was extremely pleased with the way his boys kept their poise and stuck to the business at hand.

Nelbert Omolon wound up with 17 points, the bulk coming when he joined hands with Wilson, Williams and Reyes in steadily pulling Sta. Lucia ahead.

Wilson’s short stab made it a 29-20 count late in the first quarter before Williams, Reyes and Paolo Mendoza chiefly made it a 15-point halftime difference.

For its part, Sta. Lucia improved to 5-1 this conference when holding opponents to 100 points or less in a game.

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SLR 111, Welcoat 97

After suffering from their first back-to-back losses this conference, the Sta. Lucia Realtors are back in business with a 111-97 victory against the Welcoat Dragons, a team trying to extend their winning streak to three.

It was an emphatic win last Sunday which saw the Realtors holding the Dragons' imports scoreless in the opening period, which many believed as the first time in the 33-year-old league where two reinforcements went dry over a frame. Marquis Gainous and Coree Santee combined for 0-of-7 field shooting in the first period and allowed the Realtors to get off to an explosive start and sustained their charge for majority of the way to fashion out a cruising victory.

The win push the Realtors to 4-2 or just half a game away from league-leaders Coca-Cola, Red Bull and Talk N' Text, which all have 5-2 records. More importantly, the win showcase what the Realtors do best in winning last conference's crown - play defense.

“We were not playing real defense, we were not moving our feet and we were bailing out our opponents,” reminisced Realtors coach Boyet Fernandez after their last two defeats.

Yesterday was a different matter. Aside from holding Gainous to only 14 points and Santee 12 points and 3 assists, the Realtors controlled the pace of the game and only allowed the entire Welcoat team to shoot a measly 41.7 percent from the floor. Gainous used to average 27.5 points before the game and Santee 17.7 ppg and 7.3 assists.

“The players did their homework,” beamed Fernandez. “Everybody defended well, especially our wing guys who did not get into foul trouble like in our previous two games.”

For Fernandez, taking away Santee’s usual drive-and-dish game, preventing Gainous from gaining any real momentum on his drives and limiting most of the Welcoat locals from chipping in any ample share were the factors for teh win.

“Santee usually penetrates and creates opportunities for his teammates and so their (Welcoat’s) plays usually emanate from him. So I told (Dennis) Miranda to concentrate on him,”said SLR coach Boyet Fernandez.

“Si ‘Cap” (Dennis Espino) naman ang nag-take charge kay Gainous and he really did a terrific job defending him.”

With Miranda and Espino holding the fort, Wesley Wilson and Ryan Reyes took over spearheading the offense, propping the Realtors to as much as a 55-30 lead and well on their way to dropping their foes to a 2-5 slate.

Wilson finish the game with 24 points, 9 rebounds in a span of 31 minutes. Reyes, who emerged as the game's best player, added 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals in 24 minutes. He also shot 50 percent from beyond the arc, sinking 2 of his 4 attempts.

Dennis Daa also made a good account of himself as he took over the scoring cudgel from Kelly Williams by scoring 11 points in just 12 minutes. Others who played well for the Realtors include Joseph Yeo, 9 points, Norman Gonzalez, 8 points and Melvin Mamaclay, 5 points in just a minute on the floor, including a 3-point buzzer beater.

With everyone doing their share on both defensive and offensive ends of the floor, Williams' 10 points and 9 rebounds are just icing on the cake.

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SLR 88, Coke 95

The Sta. Lucia Realtors has dropped their second game in a row after they lost to the Coca-Cola Tigers last Tuesday, 23 April 2008. The Tigers has now grabbed the tourney's solo leadership as the Smart PBA Fiesta Conference takes a brief break for the staging of the 2008 All-Star Extravaganza.

After losing to Talk N' Text Phone Pals last Friday, 19 April 2008, the Realtors again had a hard time in another close game which saw both teams figured in 11 dead locks and 20 lead changes.

Kelly Williams had scored 10 of the Realtors' last 12 points before missing the key offensive thrust. The Philippine Cup Best Player scored 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.

Dennis Miranda fed Wesley Wilson for a slam as Sta. Lucia forced the 20th and last deadlock at 87-all inside the last two minutes.

But the Realtors wavered at the finish and bungled a shot at a share of the lead and instead slid to joint fourth place with the Magnolia Beverage Masters at 3-2. It also allowed the Tigers to seize the lead heading to the All-Star break.

The league celebrates its annual All-Star festivities in Bacolod this weekend. The tourney resumes April 30.

"We never really got going offensively but we held on defensively till the end. We measured up with their intensity," said Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis.

"This is big considering Sta. Lucia, to me, is the hottest team in the league right now. Unlike all other champion teams, Sta. Lucia is a team coming off a championship yet they continue to roll," Favis also said.

A key factor in their conquest of Sta. Lucia, Favis said, was his locals and imports feeding one another.

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SLR 113, TnT 115

Last Friday, Talk ’N Text made good use of its high-powered offensive unit as it handed Smart Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia Realty its first defeat with a 115-113 win in the season-ending Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Realtors, known for it defense, cannot seem to find the answer again TnT guard Mark Cardona, the Best Player of the Conference in this very same tourney last season. Cardona exploded for 35 points with six rebounds and two steals to lead the Phone Pals, while import Aaron McGhee finished with double-double 29 points and 19 boards.

A former DLSU stalwart, Cardona nailed a jumper that gave his team a 113-106 lead with 45.7 seconds left.

His 35 points, culled from a 14-of-21 shooting from the field including 3-of-5 from the three-point territory, was the highest among locals this conference and was three shy of his career-best 38 points which Cardona recorded in Talk ‘N Text’s series-clinching 122-110 Game 6 win in their best-of-7 semifinal versus Red Bull in last season’s Fiesta Conference.

In the first three wins of the Realtors, they held their opponents to only 89.7 points, a league-best while the Phone Pals ranks second in offense this conference with 99.75 points per game.

In their first meeting this Conference, the Phone Pals got the better end of the match-up as they forced the entire SLR team into a virtual shoot-out.

“Technically what we wanted to do was score a hundred points,” Phone Pals coach Chot Reyes said after the game. “And we were able to get our way offensively against the league’s best defensive team.”

However, more than its offense, Reyes said that it was his players’ will to win against the Realtors.

“Before the game we figured that Sta. Lucia’s strength comes from its energy and confidence. The energy comes from players like Kelly (Williams), Joseph (Yeo) and Ryan (Reyes). Their confidence is of course they’re the (Philippine Cup) champions.”

Import Wesley Wilson led the Realtors with 29 points, while Williams had 24 and 16 rebounds. Dennis Miranda had 15, while Ryan Reyes and Joseph Yeo contributed 13 and 10, respectively. However, it was the 6 rebounds of Wilson, his lowest this Conference, that hastened the Realtors' downfall.

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SLR 101, Ginebra 97

Just like in their game against the Magnolia Beverage Masters, the Sta. Lucia Realtors again started hot in the first half to build a 20-point lead and later on relied on their tenacious defense and a little luck to defeat the fighting Barangay Ginebra Kings and fashion out a pulsating 101-97 victory. It was the fourth straight win for the Realtors dating back to their Game 7 triumph against the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in last Conference's finals.

More importantly, it allowed the Realtors to keep pace with the envigorated Coca-Cola team, both of which sport a 3-0 record in the 2007-08 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference.

Despite the entry of new import Ernest Brown and the return of Fil-Am player Alex Crisano the Gin Kings suffered a third straight loss before a huge cheering pro- Ginebra crown at the Tacloban Convention Center last night.

Wesley Wilson, Ryan Reyes and Kelly Williams showed splendid teamwork leading the Realtors scoring with 22 points each. Playing without team captain Dennis Espino due to an injury and against the 2004 Fiesta Conference champs did not disrupt the Realtors' focus when they sunk five straight charities from a 95-94 count.

There were several scary moments for the Realtors, especially when Wilson committed several turnovers when he tried to play 10-15 feet from the basket where he is usually prone to miscues. However, Reyes, Paolo Mendoza and Nelbert Omolon provided the answer to the combined attacks of Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand to reestablished control of the third quarter, 78-67.

Arriving in the country only on Thursday, Brown is still trying to feel his way around but still proved productive with 24 points, mostly from the freethrow line. Crisano also chipped in seven on his return to the Kings’ camp after a 3-season layoff due to his citizenship problems.

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SLR 88, MBM 86

It was a victory that was partly handed down freely by the Magnolia Beverage Masters to the Sta. Lucia Realtors when they can only sink 45 percent of their shots from the 15-foot line (16-of-38).

Unable to address their woeful stint from the foul line Sunday night, the Beverage Masters lost for the second straight time in the 2008 Smart-PBA Fiesta Cup, falling prey to the Realtors, 88-86, in a wild-and-wooly game at the Ynares Center , Antipolo City.

It was a contest that was not decided until the final buzzer when the Beverage Masters Danny Seigle bungled the back end of his two free throws and Magnolia trailing, 86-87. The loss sent the Beverage Masters reeling down the cellar in a tie with Welcoat at 0-2, a stunning development early into the import-laden conference to a team sees by many as a major title threat.

Beverage Masters’ import Jameel Watkins and Seigle finished with 20 and 19 points respectively, but was a combined 9-of-25 from the free throw line.

Realtors’ import, Wesley Wilson, was again a towering presence for Sta. Lucia in the middle with 20 points, but clearly had a hard time guarding a mobile and equally-strong Watkins.

Wilson may have also revealed a chink in his armor as he has a tendency to put the ball on the floor 10-15 feet from the basket where smaller guards can easily stripped it from him.

Fortunately for the Realtors, Kelly Williams and sensational rookie Ryan Reyes came through for them with 20 and 14 points respectively. Williams countered each and every Beverage Masters' rally with three thunderous and timely alley hoop dunks from the passes of Dennis Miranda, Paolo Mendoza and Reyes. Reyes, on the other hand, capped his impressive performance with a free throw with 7 seconds left that proved to be the marginal basket, 88-86.

Counting their victory in the decisive Game 7 of the Finals, the Realtors have now won all of their last three matches.

Magnolia actually still has a chance to win the game, but Lordy Tugade’s three-pointer in the waning seconds missed its mark.

A tentative start had the Beverage Masters trailing by 17, 20-3, with seven minutes gone by in the game.

But soon after Seigle waxed hot, Magnolia was back into the game, even grabbing a 29-28 lead early into the second quarter.

They will not take the upperhand again until middle of the payoff period, 74-73, plus free throws and ball possession following a flagrant foul committed by Nelbert Omolon on Seigle.

Unfortunately, Seigle failed to capitalize as he missed his foul shots.

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