Ginebra guns for third straight win in Digos battle with Meralco

InterAKTV · Saturday, October 13, 2012 · 10:07 am

AKTV/Paolo Papa

LA Tenorio, Mark Caguioa, and the rest of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel hope to continue their winning ways as they battle the Meralco Bolts in Digos City, Davao Del Sur in the first PBA road game of the season on Saturday.
The matchup will be broadcast over AKTV at 8 p.m. after the NCAA final four matches.
Ginebra has been on fire with the arrival of Tenorio, whose presence has rejuvenated the Gin Kings. He scored just two points in Ginebra’s opening day victory over GlobalPort, but grabbed nine rebounds and handed off 10 assists.
He was even better in Ginebra second game against Rain or Shine, sizzling for 20 points to help his new squad to a second straight victory.
Ginebra currently sits at the top spot alongside Talk ‘N Text with similar 2-0 win-loss records.
Meralco, which totes a 1-1 mark, will once again rely on fourth overall pick Cliff Hodge, who has averaged 19.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in his first two outings as a pro.
Hodge said he’s still not satisfied with his performance. “I’m still not happy with my game. I was missing a lot of shots, shots which I normally make. I even missed a lot of free throws,” he told InterAKTV shortly after leading Meralco to victory over Alaska last Wednesday,” said Hodge.
Interestingly, the game will feature Hodge facing off against fellow Filipino-American rookie Chris Ellis, his former running mate in the amateur ranks. The two men teamed up to help NLEX win three straight PBA D-League titles, and were also vital cogs in the Sinag Pilipinas run to the Southeast Asian Games gold medal last season.

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/ginebra-guns-for-third-straight-win-in-digos-battle-with-meralco

Jeff Chan sizzles for 35 to help Rain or Shine escape Air 21 in overtime

InterAKTV · Friday, October 12, 2012 · 10:16 pm

PBA/Nuki Sabio

Jeff Chan scored a career-high 35 points, including the go-ahead basket with 15 seconds left, to lift Rain or Shine to a tense 99-98 overtime victory over Air 21 in the Philippine Cup Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
With the shot clock winding down in extra period, Chan found himself against the smaller Wynne Arboleda. The southpaw hotshot drove right, sidestepped to his right, before fading away for a baby jumper that trickled in to give the Elasto Painters the victory.
Air 21 had one final opportunity to steal the win, but Rain or Shine hounded Arboleda into an airball on his attempt and stripped the ball from KG Canaleta off a rebound play to preserve the win.
“We’re lucky we got a good game from Jeff. His offense carried us for most of the game,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao of Chan, last year’s Most Improved Player who is off to a blistering start this season. Over his first three games, the sharpshooter from Bacolod City has averaged 26.7 points, despite getting little offseason rest after leading Rain or Shine to last season’s Governors’ Cup title and playing for SMART-Gilas Pilipinas in two international tournaments.
Chan’s brilliant performance bailed out the Elasto Painters, who looked like they had the game in the bag in regulation. Rain or Shine led Air 21, 93-88, with just 23 seconds remaining in the game. But it allowed Nelbert Omolon to score a three-point play with 10 seconds left to cut the Elasto Painters advantage to a single basket.
Air 21 sent Beau Belga to the free throw line in the ensuing possession, and the Rain or Shine center split his foul shots to give the Elasto Painters a three-point lead, 94-91. Arboleda raced down the court and shoveled a pass to Canaleta, who hit a 25-foot three-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.
Gabe Norwood and Jervy Cruz added 12 points apiece for Rain or Shine, which won its second game in three outings. Air 21, which lost for the second time in three games, was paced by John Wilson who scored 21 points.
Rain or Shine dedicated the game in honor of late assistant coach Roehl Nadurata, who succumbed to lung cancer last Tuesday. Nadurata, who has been part of Guiao’s coach staff for 20 years, was a key member of the Rain or Shine brain trust during its Governors’ Cup title run.
The scores:
Rain or Shine (99) – Chan 35, Cruz 12, Norwood 12, Belga 8, Quinahan 8, Ibanes 7, Arana 5, Tang 5, Jaime 3, Matias 0.
Air 21 (98) – Wilson 21, Canaleta 13, Isip 12, Omolon 11, Arboleda 10, Sena 8, Baclao 8, Escobal 6, Taha 4, Ritualo 3, Atkins 2.
Quarters: 18-26, 43-48, 75-68, 94-94, 99-98.

source: http://www.interaksyon.com/interaktv/jeff-chan-sizzles-for-35-to-help-rain-or-shine-escape-air-21-in-overtime