Third Place: SLR 99, SMB 97

San Miguel Beer could have made history in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Wednesday night but Sta. Lucia Realty spoiled what could have been a minor celebration.

The Realtors foiled the Beermen’s bid of becoming the first team to win 1,000 games and capture their 15th third place title scoring a 99-97 win to clinch second runner-up honors in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup the Araneta Coliseum.

Dennis Miranda converted on a baseline floater with still 1:30 left to play, but it was a shot enough to give the Realtors their sixth third place effort against a San Miguel team that played minus Danny Seigle, Dorian Peña, Lordy Tugade and Jay Washington.

Seigle was bothered by a lower back spasm; Tugade still was feeling pains from his left knee injury; Peña has yet to recover from his severe right ankle sprain; while Washington arrived when the match had already reached the third quarter after deciding to get his rib pains checked and was never fielded.

Yet, the Beermen made one gallant stand against the dethroned champions, leading 95-87 on a pair of free throws from Wesley Gonzales with 6:39 remaining in the game.

The Realtors then held the Beermen to a single field goal in the last six minutes while coming through with a 12-2 closing run, clinching a respectable finish while snapping a six-game losing streak in the battle for third place.

"Even though we fell short, it was still a good run," said SLR coach Boyet Fernandez. "We just hope that the experience we learned from this conference could give us the opportunity to check on the things that we have to improve on.

"Sana sa next conference, makabawi kami (Hopefully we can bounce back next conference)."

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Semis: SLR 83, Aces 87

Willie Miller scored 22 points and the Alaska Aces clamped down on defense in the fourth quarter to defeat the Sta. Lucia Realtors 87-83 to enter the championship series in the KFC Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

Trailing 69-63 after three quarters, the Aces outscored the Realtors 24-14 to end the defending champions’ reign in a 4-2 semifinal victory.

Reynel Hugnatan came off the bench to score 19 points on nine-of-11 shooting from the foul line to go with a game-high 12 rebounds.

LA Tenorio was the only other Alaska starter who was in double figures with 14 points as the Aces bucked a strong showing by Sta. Lucia’s frontline.

The Aces are returning to the All-Filipino finals for the first time since 2000 when they defeated Purefoods in five games to win the championship.

This will be the Alaska franchise’s fourth finals trip in the tournament. The Aces will take on the Talk N Text Tropang Texters in a best-of-seven matchup. The Texters defeated the San Miguel Beermen 116-115 in overtime to also take their series in six games.

Dennis Espino led the way for the Realtors with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Reigning MVP Kelly Williams had 16 and nine, while Nelbert Omolon chipped in 16 and 10 for Sta. Lucia which got at the wrong end of a payback from the same team it ousted in the same stage last year.

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Semis: SLR 81, Aces 74

It has often been said that the heart of a champion can never be underestimated.

Sta. Lucia overcome a poor start and a 16-point first quarter deficit with a defense-oriented second half that netted them an 81-74 victory against the Alaska Aces Friday night to extend the KFC-PBA Philipine Cup semifinal series to a crucial Game 6.

Joseph Yeo, who went scoreless in the middle quarters, regained his shooting touch in the fourth quarter to keep the defending champion Realtors in the game and his three-point shot with 2:12 remaining broke the backbone of the Aces and sealed the win.

"It's a nice win. Credit goes to the players. They didn't gave up even when things didn't look good," offered Sta. Lucia head coach Boyet Fernandez after his troops managed to live another day.

"My only concern at the moment is whether we could keep this is up. It's a mental thing so we'll focus on that tomorrow."

Game 6 of the best-of-seven series is set Sunday also at the Cuneta Astrodome. Game 7, if necessary, will be on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Reigning MVP Kelly Williams finish with 14 although he continued to struggle offensively, going 4-of-16 from the floor. Dennis Espino (12 points, 15 rebounds) and Ryan Reyes (10 points, 10 rebounds) came up with double-double efforts for the Realtors, who are aiming to become the first repeat all-Pinoy champs in 24 years.

Their aspirations appeared headed for the grave as the Aces, who shot 63 percent in the opening quarter, built what looked-like a solid 32-16 advantage late in the period.

But even as they struggled with their shooting, the Realtors didn't let up on the defense. They hustled all evening, contesting every Alaska shot, dove and fought for every loose ball and didn't lose their poise.

The Realtors also held Alaska to a 6-of-18 shooting in the fourth quarter.

And with Nelbert Omolon, Espino and Reyes picking up the cudgels after Yeo went cold, Sta. Lucia slowly made its way back into the game and found itself trailing Alaska by just 41-44 at halftime.

The Realtors shot a woeful 32 percent (14-of-43) in the first half while the Aces made 54 percent of their shots (17-of-31).

Yeo led all scorers with 22 points including 4-of-8 from 3-point range.

Reyes, last year's top rookie, knocked in successive 3-pointers and Williams split his free throws to open the third quarter as the Realtors stormed to a seven-point lead.

After missing their first four attempts in the third and committing three consecutive turnovers, Alaska came up with seven straight points to regain the lead, 51-48.

During the entire third period, it was apparent that Sta. Lucia had seized the momentum.

L.A. Tenorio scored 17 points, Reynel Hugnatan had 13 and Sonny Thoss turned in 10 points and as many rebounds for the Aces.

But Willie Miller was a big disappointment, disappearing on a night when Alaska needed his best effort.

The two-time MVP managed just six points on a 3-of-12 shooting, going 2-of-9 in the second half.

Still the Aces appeared on target of closing the series when Hugnatan sank two free throws to keep Alaska in the lead, 72-71, with 3:54 left.

But Denok Miranada, who held Miller to two points in the fourth quarter, nailed a three to put the Realtors ahead and the Aces never recovered from there as they faltered the rest of the way.

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Semis: SLR 83, Aces 88

The idea of Alaska coach Tim Cone was to use a short rotation to win a big game.

The gamble paid off with the nine men rotated by Cone overcoming a tough challenge, carrying Alaska to the threshold of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup finale at the Astrodome Wednesday.

The Aces erected a 26-point lead in the first half and held off a spirited chase by the Sta. Lucia Realtors for an 88-83 win and a three-game-to-one lead in their best-of-seven semifinal showdown.

Alaska leaned heavily on the exploits of two-time MVP winner Willie Miller, LA Tenorio and Joe Devance as the Aces topped the Realtors to move a win shy of a first finals since beating the Talk n Text Phone Pals in the 2007 Fiesta Cup title playoff.

Curiously, Talk n Text also moved a win shy of winning its own semis showdown with San Miguel Beer.

Talk n Text and Alaska go for the clincher in Game Five in the same venue tomorrow.

Sta. Lucia, the reigning champion, and San Miguel need to beat Alaska and Talk n Text three in a row to salvage the series. For the record, Barangay Ginebra and Purefoods are the only teams which have pulled off the trick in the long history of the pro league.

"Whew! It was tough. Because it's a big game, I went with the (main) guys, playing them with much minutes. I just worried with tonight's game and bahala na. It nearly backfired as the guys got tired in the end," said Alaska coach Time Cone.

"Sta. Lucia is a team with so much character. They just won't quit. No matter how far you get ahead, they can come back and get at you. You really can't relax," Cone added.

And having squandered a 3-1 lead before, Cone said he knows very well the series is far from over.

"We've been here before. The last time we got this lead, we got beat. We remember it very well. We know it's not safe specially against Sta. Lucia," said Cone, recalling a sad experience, blowing a 3-1 lead versus Purefoods in their 2006 Philippine Cup semifinals duel.

Miller and Tony dela Cruz got the Aces to a strong start as they combined for 23 points, outscoring the entire Sta. Lucia team in the first quarter.

The Aces took the opening quarter at 31-14 on a superb 77.8 percent field-goal shooting and kept the pace to stretch their lead to 53-35 at halftime.

It was a lopsided first half with the Aces leading by as many as 26 points at 49-23.

The Realtors picked up their game in the third period, converting 38.9 percent of their shots as against the Aces' 30.4-percent clip. Still, Alaska preserved a big lead, 72-56, going into the final canto.

But the Realtors, indeed, just won't give up.

Joseph Yeo and Ryan Reyes led the Sta. Lucia charge as the Realtors rallied to within four points four times with the last at 83-87.

At 79-84, Sta. Lucia could have put more pressure on Alaska but Devance blocked a drive-in layup by Yeo.

"It was the biggest play of the night," said Cone of Devance's block.

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Semis: SLR 76, Aces 65

Sta. Lucia showed up with the kind of defense that won for itself last year’s Philippine Cup title, holding Alaska to a conference-low in scoring for a 76-65 win in Game 3 of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.

Bitoy Omolon scored 25 points and cornered 11 rebounds as the Realtors avoided falling into a deep hole no team in league history has ever recovered from, cutting Alaska’s lead in their best-of-7 series to 2-1.

The defending champions pounced on the Alaska Aces in all key departments but it was Omolon’s finally showing up in the series which inspired the Realtors to a breakthrough win in the series.

"Many are saying that Bitoy is our key in these playoffs. Tonight he stepped up his game and got us back in the series," said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.

The way they dominated Game 3, the Realtors indicated that this series is not about to end anytime soon.

"We’ll take it one game at a time. We’re still down but we’ll see what happens on Wednesday. We know Alaska will be back," Fernandez said.

Sta. Lucia seized the lead for good in the second quarter and posted the game’s biggest margin at 19 points four minutes into the fourth quarter.

The victory appeared sealed at that point but the Realtors refused to relax even for a beat making sure this one won’t slip away like they did in Game 2 when they blew a double-digit lead in the last six minutes of play.

Reigning MVP Kelly Williams managed just eight points as he struggled offensively on a 3-of-16 shooting but made his presence felt in the paint with 12 rebounds as the Realtors outrebounded the Aces, 50-42.

Sta. Lucia also held a 14-11 advantage in the assists department and had seven more steal than Alaska’s four.

The defending champions also capitalized on Alaska’s erratic game. They scored 24 points on Alaska’s 28 turnovers.

Both teams struggled with their shooting with Sta. Lucia making just 27-of-76 attempts while Alaska shot just 23-of-58.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled on Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Fernandez said their ability to adjust to the referees’ call also helped.

Willie Miller led Alaska with 21 points but was visibly slowed down by Sta. Lucia’s tenacious defense. Joe Devance added 15 but he and Miller accounted for 12 of their turnovers.

Alaska, which averaged 54% from the field in winning the first two games of the series, held a 19-18 lead after one quarter but Christian Coronel opened the second period with a basket before Omolon scored seven straight points as the Realtors took the lead for good two minutes into the period.

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Semis: SLR 76, Aces 65

Sta. Lucia showed up with the kind of defense that won for itself last year’s Philippine Cup title, holding Alaska to a conference-low in scoring for a 76-65 win in Game 3 of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.

Bitoy Omolon scored 25 points and cornered 11 rebounds as the Realtors avoided falling into a deep hole no team in league history has ever recovered from, cutting Alaska’s lead in their best-of-7 series to 2-1.

The defending champions pounced on the Alaska Aces in all key departments but it was Omolon’s finally showing up in the series which inspired the Realtors to a breakthrough win in the series.

“Many are saying that Bitoy is our key in these playoffs. Tonight he stepped up his game and got us back in the series,” said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.

The way they dominated Game 3, the Realtors indicated that this series is not about to end anytime soon.

"We’ll take it one game at a time. We’re still down but we’ll see what happens on Wednesday. We know Alaska will be back," Fernandez said.

Sta. Lucia seized the lead for good in the second quarter and posted the game’s biggest margin at 19 points four minutes into the fourth quarter.

The victory appeared sealed at that point but the Realtors refused to relax even for a beat making sure this one won’t slip away like they did in Game 2 when they blew a double-digit lead in the last six minutes of play.

Reigning MVP Kelly Williams managed just eight points as he struggled offensively on a 3-of-16 shooting but made his presence felt in the paint with 12 rebounds as the Realtors outrebounded the Aces, 50-42.

Sta. Lucia also held a 14-11 advantage in the assists department and had seven more steal than Alaska’s four.

The defending champions also capitalized on Alaska’s erratic game. They scored 24 points on Alaska’s 28 turnovers.

Both teams struggled with their shooting with Sta. Lucia making just 27-of-76 attempts while Alaska shot just 23-of-58.

Game 4 of the best-of-seven series is scheduled on Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Fernandez said their ability to adjust to the referees’ call also helped.

Willie Miller led Alaska with 21 points but was visibly slowed down by Sta. Lucia’s tenacious defense. Joe Devance added 15 but he and Miller accounted for 12 of their turnovers.

Alaska, which averaged 54% from the field in winning the first two games of the series, held a 19-18 lead after one quarter but Christian Coronel opened the second period with a basket before Omolon scored seven straight points as the Realtors took the lead for good two minutes into the period.

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Semis: SLR 94, Aces 97

In a virtual repeat of Game One, Alaska Milk played catch-up basketball most of the first half, seized control in the third period then put on the heat in the final canto.

The Aces repeated with a 94-87 win over the reigning champion Sta. Lucia Realtors to take a two-game-to-nil lead in their KFC PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal duel at the Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

"In the first half, we kind of left our defense at home. We were focused on just beating their press. But we got our defense working in the second half and that was the most telling part," said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

"It's crucial for us to break the pattern of last year's series. We've got a follow-up win and we're now looking to sustain the momentum in the series," Cone added.

The American mentor stressed the series is far from over.

"We still have a job cut out for us. You relax against this team, and they will get you. That's the way they are. They're good at that," said Cone. "We have to stay focused and hopefully reach their level of intensity."

Two-time MVP winner Willie Miller and Joe Devance made 17 point each to lead the balanced Alaska scoring against the Realtors who drew points essentially from only four players.
Dennis Espino, Joseph Yeo, Kelly Williams and Dennis Miranda each scored at least 12 with the rest of the Realtors putting in no more than six.

As in Game One, Miller hit hard when it counted the most, rifling in nine in the payoff quarter, including a perimeter shot, making it 89-82 for the Aces with a little less than two minutes left to play.

Miller and LA Tenorio actually formed a lethal duo in the second half that destroyed the Realtors.

The two combined for 24 points in the second half and accounted for the baskets that broke the Realtors' backs.

Alaska's composure spelled a big difference with the Aces persevering and keeping their patience though trailing practically the entire first half.

After a long chase, the Aces tasted the lead at 63-62 on a baseline jumper by Tony dela Cruz with 4:09 left in the third period.

The Aces went on to close the third at 73-66 and kept the Realtors at bay the rest of the way.

"We're in control but they're definitely far from beaten. They're the defending champion. They're the champion until they're beaten. Hopefully, we’ll be the one to beat them.

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Semis: SLR 70, Aces 92

The Alaska Aces underscored their distinction as the league's top defensive team, holding the Sta. Lucia Realtors to 3-of-24 shooting in the fourth quarter for a 92-70 victory Wednesday (14 January 2009) night in the opener of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series at the Araneta Coliseum.

Joe Devance scored 10 of his 17 points in the third quarter and Willie Miller poured all but two of his 14 markers in the second half as the Aces picked up their rhythm after a struggling start.

A 12-2 run in a span of 3:30 minutes turned out to be the knockout punch for the Aces, who broke 69-69 count en route to the breakaway win.

"We didn't play well in the first half," offered Alaska coach Tim Cone, who took note of their 16 turnovers in that stretch.

"But our defense kept us in the game," he said.

Although Miller struggled offensively (5-of-18), Cone said the two-time MVP played spectacular in the second half, dishing off four assists to start the fourth that "start our rhythm."

Miller, who saw action for 34 minutes, also grabbed 10 rebounds, and finished with eight asists to offset his six turnovers.

Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set Friday also at the Araneta Coliseum.

"We have a long memory. We also took Game 1 last year then lost the next two games," said Cone referring to their semifinal showdown with the Realtors in this same conference last season. "Our goal is to follow up this victory."

Kelly Williams, still recovering from flu and severe migraine which landed him at the hospital Monday night, led all scorers with 18 points and Joseph Yeo added 14 for the defending champions, who faltered in the fourth quarter due to poor shooting.

Norman Gonzales (6 points) opened the fourth with a layup then knocked a 3-pointer as Sta. Lucia tied the count at 69-69 with still 10:27 to play.

But things turned to worse for the defending champions after that as the Realtors went 1-of-21 from the field the rest of the way while watching the Aces rip the game wide open.

Sta. Lucia actually missed its last 15 attempts from the field, including a 0-for-11 stint from beyond the three-point arc and had four turnovers in that endgame meltdown.

"We're just kind of lucky they (Realtors) missed the big three-point shots," Cone said.

Sta. Lucia went 1-of-13 from behind the arc in the fourth quarter and 7-for-29 for the game.

Overall, the Realtors shot a woeful 35 percent from the field (28-of-78).

The Realtors looked good in the early goings, leading by 10 points 29-19, five minutes into the second quarter and closed the first half at 41-38 by cashing in on Alaska's 16 turnovers.

Sta. Lucia's hot start was sparked by its backcourt with Yeo scoring nine points and Ryan Reyes adding eight.

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SLR 92, RoS 85

Sta. Lucia Realty used a good finish to overcome a slow start and a mediocre shooting, disposing of Rain or Shine, 92-85, to become the first PBA All-Filipino reigning champion in the last four years to get a return stint in the Final Four.

Kelly Williams, Dennis Espino and Paolo Mendoza picked up their game and played steady in the second half, leading the Realtors to a two-game sweep of the Elasto Painters for a ticket to the 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup semifinal round versus the Alaska Milk Aces.

"As I expected, Rain or Shine gave us a tough time though they played minus Gabe Norwood. They did a good job playing zone defense. I have to commend Paolo Mendoza for stepping up and breaking Rain or Shine's defense in the third quarter. I also laud Cap (Dennis Espino) for providing the leadership as we fought back in the second half," said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.

"So we're back in the semis, giving us the chance to defend the crown. It's gonna be a tough task playing Alaska. We'll try to get some good rest and hopefully make good preparation for the semis," Fernandez added.

"We have no choice but to get ready for a war versus Alaska," said Espino, big performer Friday versus the Elasto Painters in the absence of Marlou Aquino.

With Aquino serving a suspension as a result of his flagrant infraction Wednesday, Espino played extended minutes, churning out 19 points, five rebounds, two blocks and one assist.

Joseph Yeo also finished with 19 with Ryan Reyes, Kelly Williams and Mendoza each adding at least 13 as the Realtors duplicated their 101-84 win in Game One marred by a near free-for-all causing the ejection and one-game suspension of Rain or Shine prolific rookie Gabe Norwood.

Minus Norwood, the Elasto Painters still managed to put up a fight but faded away as pressure mounted in the final half.

Mendoza, Espino and Williams combined for the key shots shattering the Rain or Shine bid.

Rain or Shine failed to move further in its first ever playoff appearance. The team finishes in the tourney either fifth or sixth, depending on the result of the San Miguel-Ginebra duel.

The Realtors survived a poor 28.9-percent shooting as they made a decisive romp in the third quarter and sustained their assault in the final period.

After a long chase, the Realtors surged ahead at 59-54 on a 16-3 salvo also starring Mendoza and Espino.

The Elasto Painters regained the lead for the last time at 69-68 before Mendoza touched off another key run enabling the Realtors to complete the sweep.

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SLR 101, RoS 84

After many critics ruled them out as one of the favorites in the KFC Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) 2009 Philippine Cup, the defending champions delivered a stern message today (7 January 2009) that they are ready to go back-to-back.

Nelbert Omolon scored 26 points and Joseph Yeo came off the bench to add 26 and Sta. Lucia Realtors played near-flawless basketball from start to finish to beat Rain or Shine, 101-84, and take Game One of their best-of-three quarterfinals at the Araneta Coliseum.

In a game billed to go down the wire, it was never close. The Realtors, which has not played since 21 December 2008, was razor sharp on both ends of the floor. They countered each run of the Elasto Painters with their booming threes to take the fight as early as the third canto.

The Realtors shot 35-of-79 from the field (44 percent) to the Elasto Painters' 27-of-81 (33 percent). Omolon and Yeo combined for a 14-of-14 from the free-throw line.

For Rain or Shine, it was a forgettable postseason debut. The Elasto Painters could not keep up with the Realtors and that unraveled when star Gabe Norwood was ejected for an unsportsmanlike play in the third quarter. Sol Mercado, Ryan Araña and coach Caloy Garcia of Rain or Shine were also given technical fouls for pushing Omolon, leaving the bench and for complaining excessively.

Yeo also received a technical foul for pushing Mercado off, but was held back by Ryan Reyes and Kelly Williams to prevent the incident from escalating further. Cooler heads also prevailed in the Elasto Painters bench after the play was resumed.

At the end of three, Sta. Lucia's lead had ballooned to 85-62. Going into the fourth, the final score was the only issue left unsettled.

The Realtors can close the series in Game Two set on Friday (9 January 2009).

Jay-R Reyes led Rain or Shine with 16 points and 12 rebounds to pick up the slack for the Elasto Painters' virtually absent rookie phenoms who were bothered all through the game by the pesky and physical defense of the Realtors.

Sol Mercado shot an atrocious two-of-10 from the field for 13 points. Norwood finished with nine points and seven rebounds. He was ejected from the court after he threw the ball at Omolon in a driving play.

Sta. Lucia center Marlou Aquino was also thrown out after he was called for a flagrant foul-2 in the first half.

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SLR 102, RB 98

For scoring a repeat win over Red Bull, Sta. Lucia Realty can rightfully say it has the Barakos' number. And the Realtors now have the figure they want.

Sta. Lucia worked its comeback magic over Red Bull for a 102-98 win Sunday (21 December 2008) and an automatic quarterfinals slot in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Joseph Yeo came off the bench to scatter 22 of his game-high 25 points and Dennis Espino 18 of his personal conference-high 23 in the second half, boosting the Realtors from as much as a 20-point third quarter deficit and into their 10th win in 18 games.

That record and finish in the eliminations is short of the Realtors' outright semifinals entry en route to clinching the crown last year, but coach Boyet Fernandez is not about to gripe when his team has earned what is widely considered the next best thing.

"I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but whatever happens we now still have the chance to defend our crown," said Fernandez, whose team also came back from 19 points down to beat Red Bull the first time they met.

It was a doubly stinging loss for Red Bull, which also blew a 20-point lead and lost to Coca-Cola 86-88 last Friday, quashing the Photokina franchise's hopes of getting past the eliminations anew.

The Barakos came into the game looking to act out the role of spoilers, but they were themselves foiled after once again failing to hold their ground in the face of the Realtors' Yeo-led assault.

"Yeo stepped up and it's sort of expected because he's really been our ace off the bench," enthused Fernandez.

The man known as 'The Ninja' proved this by draining back-to-back triples to tie the score at 92 and then fully guided Sta. Lucia home in the last five minutes with a block and a banked shot he released going down to make it a 100-95 game, 10.4 ticks left.

Magnum Membrere's quick triple made it a two-point game, but Espino's free throws put the game away in the last 3.2 seconds.

In the end, Fernandez related it was all about his players finally taking to heart what he's been harping about in practically all their early timeouts and halftime talk.

"All the guys stepped up and heeded my call to have pride in themselves as the defending champions," Fernandez related.

"Good thing we started putting pressure on their defense and tightened up on ours," he added, noting the 22 turnovers and 32-of-81 field shooting their opponents wound up with, compared to his team's 20 and 33-of-76.

Jeffrei Chan tied his career-high with 23 points and Cyrus Baguio and Paolo Hubalde added 17 and 12, respectively, for Red Bull, which formally wound up the elims with a 5-13 slate.

Sta. Lucia was projected to run roughshod over the Barakos after having had a week off following a blowout 90-69 win over the Tigers last Sunday.

But the shoe was on the other foot.

"As I repeatedly kept telling the guys, Red Bull is a very dangerous team, even if they're out (of the playoffs) I knew they were gonna come out strong and they did," said Fernandez.

With Chan scattering 11 of his points and his team's defense forcing six Sta. Lucia turnovers, Red Bull seemingly assumed control right at the two-minute mark of the first period to pull away and take a 34-29 lead.

The Barakos actually committed more turnovers in the second period 7-2, but they compensated with an 18-8 advantage off the boards and a 10-of-17 clip from the floor, compared to the Realtors' 6-of-24.

Baguio also waxed hottest, scoring 16 of his 17 first half points to make it 63-43 just before the half ended and maintaining the difference at 65-45, just a minute into the third quarter.

"Giving up 63 points in the first half is really a sign of poor defense and tentativeness on our part," admitted Fernandez.

Then the memories of its blown leads against Coke and Sta. Lucia began rearing its ugly head on Red Bull once again.

Behind Yeo's 11 points and Espino's eight, the Realtors steadily chipped away at Red Bull's lead, finally taking it down to 73-78 off Yeo's drive, 2:06 left in the period.

The Realtors could have further whittled the deficit, but Yeo missed a triple and Espino his follow-up. Chan answered by draining a wide-open trey, helping the Barakos tote an 86-75 lead into the fourth.

As it turned out, Yeo and his teammates were far from down.

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SLR 90, Coke 69

Defending champion Sta. Lucia Realty took advantage of an Coca-Cola's undermanned unit as it hammered a 90-69 win to boost its bid for an outright semifinal berth in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Sunday night (14 December) at the Araneta Coliseum.

Nelbert Omolon scored 23 points and nine rebounds, while guard Joseph Yeo came off the bench to add 14 points, five boards and two assists for the Realtors.

Last season's Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kelly Williams only had eight points but he collared 12 rebounds, and had seven assists, three steals and a shot block.

Sta. Lucia improved its win-loss record to 9-8 as it grabbed solo fifth in the standings, and in the way solidified its bid for either an automatic quarterfinal seat or a semifinal slot in this all-Filipino conference.

The Tigers, on the other hand, dropped to 6-11. With that, Coke is now just half-a-game ahead of last placed Red Bull (5-11).

The Tigers have the Barakos as their last opponent in the elimination phase as they collide in a virtual do-or-die encounter on Friday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.

"We're just lucky Coke has injuries to their key players," Sta. Lucia mentor Boyet Fernandez said. "Pero hindi rin naman natin dapat alisin 'yung credit sa players, they know it's also a crucial game for us."

"It's a nice win for us, a good preparation as we face Red Bull on our next game (Sunday). But we'll be ready," Fernandez added.

For the second straight game, Coke played sans the 6-foot-9 Asi Taulava, who is nursing a fractured left middle finger.

But making matters worse for the Tigers was the fact that two of its other starters did not play -- veteran forward Nic Belasco and top playmaker Alex Cabagnot, who was in uniform but opted to sit out because of a knee injury.

The 6-foot-4 Belasco suffered a hairline fracture on his right ankle in the final moments of a 105-91 victory against powerhouse San Miguel Beer last Friday. He had personal conference-highs of 23 points and 15 rebounds against SMB.

Taulava and Belasco, in crutches with his right ankle in cast, were both on the Coke bench.

They combine for almost 45 points a game on the average with Taulava also leading the league in rebounds with 13 a game while Cabagnot is No. 1 in assists with 5.5.

Sta. Lucia was never threatened in the game, dictating the tempo from start to finish. A lay-up by Omolon gave them their biggest lead, 87-63, with 2:31 left to play.

Mark Telan, the only player left in Coke's 'Big Three', led the team with 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Ricky Calimag and John Arigo added 10 points each.

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SLR 73, PF 71

Defending champion Sta. Lucia Realty solidified its bid for an outright quarterfinal berth as it downed Purefoods, 73-71, in the 2008-09 KFC PBA Philippine Cup Thursday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The Realtors played tough defense down the stretch, forcing the Giants to miss crucial shots in the final moments as they improved their win-loss record to 8-8 for solo sixth in the team standings.

After committing a 24-second violation, James Yap missed a tough shot from the right corner. Enrico Villanueva collared the rebound and was fouled by Dennis Espino.

The former Ateneo stalwart, however, missed his free throws.

The Giants had two chances to tie the score when guard Roger Yap got the rebound, but missed his shot and Kerby Raymundo’s follow up attempt failed to find its mark as time expired.

Purefoods dropped to 7-9.

The win also ended a two-game skid for Sta. Lucia, and completed as well a conference sweep opposite its Finals opponent last season following a 69-66 victory in their first round meeting last Oct. 18.

The Realtors started slow as Purefoods started hostilities with a 10-0 blitz.

The Giants were up by 11 points, 42-31, when Joseph Yeo, who fired a game-high 21 points, singlehandedly carried the fight for the Realtors when he scored 10 straight points that sparked a 15-4 run that tied the score at 46-46.

Reigning Most Valuable Player (MVP) Kelly Williams, who added 17 points, highlighted that run by cutting through the lane, receiving a bounce pass from Christian Coronel and banging in a rim- rattling slam-dunk.

Purefoods came back in the fourth as Roger Yap’s basket gave his team a 61-50 advantage.

But SLR answered with nine straight points capped by a pair of free throws from Dennis Espino to make it 66-65 with 3:15 to play. After a dunk by Villanueva, Yeo nailed a three-pointer, Bitoy Omolon split his free throws and Espino made two foul shots for a 72-67 lead with 60 seconds left.

The last time Purefoods threatened was when James Yap made a basket, cutting the deficit to 71-73.

The top two teams after the Christmas day games will advance automatically to the Final Four, while the third to fifth teams will earn outright quarterfinal slots. The sixth to ninth teams will play in the crossover knockout wildcard stage where the survivor will claim the last quarterfinal ticket. The 10th placer will be the conference’s first casualty.

Yap led the Giants with 20 points, while Raymundo added 17 and Villanueva had 12.

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SLR 97, Air21 88

Air21 is back in the Magic Five and determined to stay there till the end of the double-round elims.

"Our target is to make the top five, nothing less. We don't want No. 6 because it's just like No. 9," said coach Bo Perasol after his Express made it two in a row over the Sta. Lucia Realtors Sunday to move back in the upper half of the chart nearing the closing stage of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup elimination phase.

Air21 made key runs in the final half and repeated over Sta. Lucia, 97-88, to gain solo fifth place with an 8-7 win-loss record behind Alaska Milk (10-4), San Miguel Beer (9-6), Rain or Shine (9-6) and Talk n Text (8-6).

The Realtors suffered a second straight defeat and slid to joint seventh with the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants at 7-8.

"Our motivation really was making the Magic Five. This is not a game na okay lang matalo at bawi na lang next time. We knew the result of this game would have a great impact in our bid," said Perasol.

"We're back in the top half of the standings. Our goal now is to stay there up to the finish to avoid the wildcard round. We know how tough to go through that phase," Perasol added.

Ranidel del Ocampo came through with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a solid all-round game leading the Express to a repeat win over the Realtors whom they handed a 107-83 beating in their previous tiff.

Nino Canaleta churned out a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds with Gary David, Arwind Santos and Homer Se contributing at least 14 points each.

Kelly Williams had a game-high 27 points while Dennis Espino had a near triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists that all went down the drain.

But it was far from an easy win for Air21.

The Express had to go through 11 deadlocks and 11 lead changes before finally disposing of the Realtors.

Santos tossed in nine straight points pushing the Express ahead to stay at 82-76.

Sta. Lucia threatened for the last time at 86-89 before De Ocampo and David knocked in back-to-back baskets to eventually win the game for Air21 at 93-86 with a minute left to play.

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SLR 79, RoS 80

Rain or Shine is now a heartbeat away of a first-ever stint in the post-elims play.

Solomon Mercado and Rob Wainwright sank a charity each then Rain or Shine put up a good defense in the closing seconds as the Elasto Painters scored an 80-79 nail-biter over the Sta. Lucia Realtors Wednesday assuring the Asian Coating franchise of at least a playoff for a wildcard round slot in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup.

"It's all about hard work. It's paying off for us," said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia as they got back at the Realtors to gain a share of second place with the San Miguel Beermen on their identical 8-6 win-loss card.

"We'd never been in this position before. Now that we're here, (finishing in the top two) is one target we're looking at now," Garcia also said.

win over Purefoods Saturday guarantees Rain or Shine of at least a .500 closing mark and a slot in the wildcard round -- feats the Elasto Painters have never achieved in team history.

The Realtors failed to convert a basket in the last 26 seconds, sliding three rungs down to joint sixth place with the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants at 7-7.

Going for naught was Kelly Williams' 31-point explosion -- his best in the season after a career-low of two points in their last game against Alaska Milk.

The Realtors had a chance to salvage the game but Paolo Mendoza missed two three-point attempts in the waning seconds.

Sta. Lucia pushed Rain or Shine to the limit as the Realtors rallied from a 30-43 halftime deficit largely behind the exploits of Williams and Norman Gonzales.

After a long chase, the Realtors gained the upperhand at 64-63 on a 9-0 roll capped by a layup by Williams with a little over two minutes into the final canto.

The two teams engaged in a fierce battle from there on until the Realtors had their last taste of the lead at 79-78 on a triple by Williams with time down to 50 seconds.

Mercado and Wainwright split their pairs of charities inside the next 24 seconds as Rain or Shine surged ahead at 80-79.

After a timeout, Sta. Lucia went to Mendoza who missed a shot from right quartercourt.

The Realtors kept possession but the Elasto Painters stood their ground defensively to the finish, thus, avenging an 85-88 loss to Sta. Lucia in their previous tiff.

"I think we're lucky in the end that's why we pulled through. But it was a good lesson for us specially for me as a coach," said Garcia.

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SLR 92, Alaska 80

Sta. Lucia Realty coach Boyet Fernandez knew his team’s game against former tormentor Alaska was going to be a defensive struggle. He just did not realize the boost would come from an unexpected group of Realtors.

With its bench doing the most damage, Sta. Lucia beat Alaska, 92-80, on 29 November 2008 to snap out of its funk in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center, Anipolo City.

Nelbert Omolon scored a team-high 20 points, but it was the efforts of Norman Gonzales, Joseph Yeo and Dennis Espino which enabled Sta. Lucia to overcome as much as a 51-64 third quarter-deficit and into the stunning win.

"Nung third quarter, ‘yung lima sa loob na naglaro really stepped up on defense," said SLR coach Boyet Fernandez, referring to the likes of Dennis Daa, Yeo, Gonzales, Denok Miranda and Ryan Reyes.

"Medyo dun kami kumuha ng energy sa depensa. Eventually, we created turnovers, nakakuha kami ng fastbreaks at turnover points. Sa depensa namin nag-bog down ang opensa ng Alaska," Fernandez explained.

Reigning MVP Kelly Williams wound up with a career-low two points off free throws and Reyes was still hurting from the bad back that had sidelined him for five games. Things looked grimmer when starting point guard Miranda got saddled by fouls early and picked up his fifth late in the third period.

Then the Realtors’ bench came into the picture as they snapped out of a two-game slide and improved their win-loss record to 7-6.

Gonzales finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds, Yeo added 17 points and Espino 12, the bulk of those coming during a massive 34-5 run spanning the last two quarters that staked the Realtors to an 85-69 cushion, 6:40 left.

In all, the Sta. Lucia bench outscored their Alaska counterparts, 55-11. The Realtors also pulled off 11 steals and scored 33 points off the Aces’ 24 turnovers.

"Credit to the boys," Fernandez noted. "Talagang maganda ang depensa."

The unexpected way the game turned out starting at the last 3:03 of the third period also prompted Fernandez to simplify his game-plan.

"We started to rotate the guys. Tiningnan na lang namin kung sino ‘yung pagod," he related.

“Basta rotate lang kami ng rotate, like yung key guys ko, para ma-preserve ko ‘yung energy nila sa fourth quarter.”

It could get much better for the Realtors could move into solo third-running spot should 6-6 Rain or Shine unexpectedly lose to cellar-dweller and 3-8 Red Bull later in the evening.

Alaska started out hot and seemed on its way to following up its lopsided 113-86 win over Talk ‘N Text last Saturday. But as soon as two-time MVP Willie Miller’s game headed south, so did the Aces.

Miller already had 17 points at the half and, along with Reynel Hugnatan and LA Tenorio, was chiefly responsible for Alaska’s early, sustained surge. But he went without a field goal the rest of the way and so did Hugnatan.

Tenorio , Tony dela Cruz and Sonny Thoss tried to lead the Aces back, but the best they could do was close in at 78-85.

When Gonzales converted his steal off Miller to make it a 90-80 game, the Aces practically spent the remaining 2:44 virtually looking forward to their next game.

The defeat should not hurt so bad for Alaska, which still remained on top with a 9-4 slate. But the way it lost to a team coming off an 82-104 beating from TNT just last Wednesday should gnaw at coach Tim Cone.

One factor could have been the absence of Jeffrey Cariaso, sidelined by a slight right hamstring pull.

But his absence was hardly felt by Alaska in the early goings, especially after Miller started hitting his shots and even went a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc, including a buzzer-beater that gave the Aces a 43-35 halftime lead.

Like what it did in razing early deficits of 8-17 and 29-38, Sta. Lucia came charging back to make it a 44-46 game before Alaska countered with an 18-6 surge for its biggest lead of the game at 13.

Then came the game’s biggest run, sparked by Reyes’ runner and fueled by Gonzales’ 12 points, Omolon’s six and Yeo’s five.

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SLR 82, TnT 104

Revenge and redemption.

Talk n Text accomplished these as it took to heart a 27-point blowout by Alaska Milk the last time out, clobbering Sta. Lucia Realty, 104-82, Wednesday in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Texters hit two birds with one stone as they redeemed themselves from an 86-117 rout by the Aces Saturday and avenged a 96-117 beating at the hands of the Realtors in their previous tiff.

Apparently hearing a mouthful from the management after their embarrassing loss to the Aces, the Tropang Texters bounced back strong, beating the Realtors to force a four-way logjam at third place.

Talk n Text caught up with Sta. Lucia, Air21 and Rain or Shine at 6-6.

"Going to the game, we knew it's gonna be about how quickly we forget the loss to Alaska and how we get back. Fortunately, with lots of talks, we recovered quickly," said Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

"We know it's within the team to play this way. We just have to find it. We're playing another tough game Sunday. Hopefully, we can use this game as a springboard against San Miguel," Reyes also said, expecting a battle against the Beermen in a game in Singapore this weekend.

Mark Cardona, limited to seven points by Alaska after a 42-point showing against Red Bull, was hot again, torching Sta. Lucia with 27.

"I was to blame for Macmac's seven-point game against Alaska, and I had apologized to my players. They (the Aces) played box-and-one and I wasn't able to make the adjustment," said Reyes.

Jimmy Alapag also had a big game with 23 points with Jared Dillinger, Harvey Carey and Renren Ritualo each adding at least 10 as the Tropang Texters, dominated the Realtors, handing them a second straight loss.

Not even the return of Ryan Reyes could provide boost to the Realtors.

Reyes returned from a five-game layoff, collecting 12 points, three rebounds, three steals and one assist. He's visibly not yet in top shape, having just rejoined the Realtors in practice Monday.

Also struggling was Kelly Williams who's good for only 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting from the field.

The entire Sta. Lucia team shot 35.9 percent from the field as against Talk n Text's 51.3-percent clip.

Drawing tremendous firepower from their backcourt, the Tropang Texters led by as many as 20 points at 53-33 before settling for a 56-41 spread at halftime.

Alapag, Dillinger and Cardona all had had double-digit outputs in the first two quarters of play, combining for 39 points.

Alapag converted three of four three-point attempts, the last giving the Tropang Texters the 20-point bubble with 5:17 left in the second quarter.

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SLR 76, Ginebra 83

Fiesta Cup ruler Barangay Ginebra reigned over All-Filipino champion Sta. Lucia Realty for a second game in a row.

The Kings erected a 19-point spread early in the second half and overcame repeated uprisings by the Realtors for a 93-81 win and a share of sixth place with the Talk n Text Tropang Texters in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at The Arena in San Juan Saturday.

Sunday Salvacion knocked in five triples and totaled 22 points as he played the fireman’s role in leading the Kings to a fifth win against six losses.

Salvacion himself rifled in the clutch baskets stopping the Sta. Lucia charge each time the Realtors would come threateningly close.

After the Realtors drew close the last time at 76-83, Salvacion nailed his last three-pointer of the night then Eric Menk and Ronald Tubid converted a basket each as Ginebra eventually settled the outcome of the contest.

The Kings repeated over the Realtors despite the return of 2008 MVP awardee Kelly Williams on the Sta. Lucia side.

Ginebra also drew solid games from Paul Artadi, Ronald Tubid and Sunday Salvacion as the Kings ended the Realtors’ three-game streak.

The Realtors slid to joint third with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and the Air21 Express after suffering a fifth loss in 11 outings.

Paolo Mendoza was ejected for a second straight game for a flagrant foul penalty 2. He drew an infraction this time for throwing the ball on a fallen Artadi.

After Mendoza’s exit, the Kings unleashed a key blitz capped by a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Helterbrand giving Ginebra a 56-39 lead at halftime.

The Kings stretched their lead to 19 at the start of the third period but the Realtors waged a fierce chase behind the efforts of Nelbert Omolon, Kelly Williams and Dennis Espino to come within five at 59-64.

The two teams engaged in a duel of spurts from there with the Kings coming out victorious on a key run worked on by Salvacion, Menk and Tubid in the homestretch.

Joseph Yeo and Norman Gonzales, who scored 38 and 25 points, respectively, in their upset of San Miguel Wednesday, were limited to a combined output of only 17 by the Kings.

Espino paced the Realtors with 19.

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SLR 100, SMB 95

Notwithstanding the absence of two key players, Sta. Lucia Realty played like a champion team that it is versus San Miguel Beer.

Joseph Yeo and Norman Gonzales put in career-high outputs and the short handed Realtors sustained their improbable streak with a 100-95 upset of the Beermen last 19 November 2008 in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Yeo and Gonzales dished out MVP-like performances to make up for the absence of reigning MVP winner Kelly Williams and 2007-08 Rookie of the Year awardee Ryan Reyes.

With a big lift from the two second-string players, the Realtors more than held their own against the fancied San Miguel team, notching a third straight win and their sixth in 10 games in all.

"We played not thinking about the pressure. We had nothing to lose, knowing everyone was expecting San Miguel to win," said Yeo who erupted for 38 points, topping his previous high of 29 made against Talk n Text during the wildcard round in the last Fiesta Conference.

Gonzales was also awesome as he scattered 25 points and completed his first double-double game in two years while also snaring 10 rebounds.

"Joseph and Norman stepped up and their energy rubbed off to their teammates," said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.

The Beermen suffered a second straight defeat but stayed at second behind the front-running Alaska Milk Aces (8-2) with a 7-4 card.

Sta. Lucia closed in on San Miguel as the Realtors avenged their 71-89 blowout by the Beermen in their first meeting last Oct. 30 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

They next play the Barangay Ginebra Kings Saturday with Williams and Reyes back in uniform.

"They're certainly dressing up Saturday. Kelly is likely to be back in action. We're awaiting a back brace for Ryan. If he's not yet ready, hindi namin pipilitin," said Fernandez.

With tremendous efforts from Yeo and Gonzales, the Realtors hardly missed the services of Williams and Reyes in getting even with the Beermen.

The Realtors outhustled and outmaneuvered the Beermen in dominating the contest, enjoying as lead as many as 14 at 69-55 at the end of the third quarter.

Yeo, Gonzales and Paolo Mendoza made at least 10 points each as the Realtors took the half at 42-38.

Mendoza and Gonzales were perfect from the field in the opening quarter which also belonged to the Realtors at 29-24.

Ken Bono came out strong in the second period, making eight points and four rebounds as the Beermen edged the Realtors, 14-13.

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SLR 88, RoS 85

Given the opportunity, the Sta. Lucia reserves are capable of winning game for the team.

They did against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at the Ynares Sports Center last 14 November 2008.

Rookie Kelvin Gregorio and sophomore Christian Coronel were among Sta. Lucia's unlikely heroes as the Realtors overcame the Elasto Painters, 88-85, to finish third behind Alaska Milk Aces and the San Miguel Beermen after the initial round of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup double-round elimination phase.

Nelbert Omolon scored only four points but made all these down the stretch helping the team pick up the slack on the early exit of Kelly Williams and Paolo Mendoza.

Williams headed to the dugout late in the third with his right eye accidentally poked by JayR Reyes. Mendoza followed in a little while after a technical infraction.

The Realtors won't be denied, though, with their reserves rising to the occasion.

Coronel scored on a buzzer-beating shot then Omolon and Norman Gonzales knocked it two charities each as the Realtors shattered an 83-all deadlock and went on to notch a fifth win against four losses.

Rain or Shine suffered a second straight loss and slid to joint fourth place with Purefoods at 5-5.

"My second stringers deserve the credit for this win. As we're further decimated by the exit of Kelly and Paolo, they grabbed the opportunity to shine," said coach Boyet Fernandez whose Sta. Lucia team still missed the services of 2008 top rookie Ryan Reyes.

Mendoza, playing extended minutes on the absence of Reyes, had piled up a team-high 16 points before his ejection.

Gregorio enjoyed a breakout game, ending up as the team's second highest scorer with 13 -- his best in his young pro career. He also pulled down eight rebounds.

"Excited at determinado ako magpakita dito dahil malapit lang ito sa amin," said the 6-foot-4 rookie forward from the nearby Teresa town.

Coronel fired seven points, all done in the last five minutes of play. His biggest shot was a buzzer-beater atop the key stopping the Rain or Shine momentum after having tied the count at 83 on a 12-2 tear.

After Coronel broke the 83-all deadlock with 33 seconds left to play, the Elasto Painters eventually yielded the game on four straight missed three-point attempts.

Alex Compton and Mike Buendia called the shots for Rain or Shine in the last four minutes after coach Caloy Garcia was ejected on continuous complaining.

There's no question, though, that the Realtors dominated the contest.

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