A LITTLE shift in attitude can work wonders and Powerade just bore that out.
With rookies Sean Anthony and Jai Reyes leading them home, the Tigers notched a breakthrough 109-91 win over Air21 Wednesday in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Chris Porter scored a team-high 22 points, but it was the yeoman’s efforts by the two tabbed at Nos. 6 and 18, respectively, in the rookie draft last year that pointed Powerade to its first win in three tries.
Anthony had 13 of his 21 points and Reyes 11 of his career-high 14 as they combined to outscore the entire Air21 crew by a point in the payoff period and turned the close game into a runaway victory.
“My role is to make hustle plays, bring my heart into each game and get everybody on the same page,” said Anthony, who added nine rebounds, four assists and two steals in just 27 minutes of play.
For his part, Reyes scored all his fourth quarter points after Air21 had come roaring back from what was once a 12-point deficit, tied the game twice and was still threatening at 87-88, exactly five minutes left.
“I know what they can do, but I was still pleasantly surprised they were able to step up,” admitted coach Bo Perasol, whose team came into the game loser of its last five and eight of its last nine matches dating back to the Commissioner’s Cup where it wound up ninth.
“It was really difficult for the team to overcome that hump, but we had an agreement to take it upon ourselves to push it to the limit and hope that gives us our chances,” he added.
Celino Cruz made his first four tries from the field before winding up with 21 points for his highest output in the last three seasons while Norman Gonzales added 14 points also as a reliever.
Danny Seigle had 23 points to lead all scorers, but the Express still dropped their third straight game and sixth in all dating back to the last conference after drawing another poor performance from import Alpha Bangura.
Bangura wound up with only 10 points after attempting just 11 times from the field and going to the free throw line just once. He was benched with the Express trailing by 53-65, 6:25 left in the third period.
The naturalized Libyan returned to the game with 8:36 left and promptly drove in for a twinner, but made only one other basket, off an eight-foot baseline jumper, for the rest of the game.
Air21 team officials refused to discuss if there’s anything wrong with the man who usually drives strong to the basket and earns most of his points from the stripes.
Things could get worse for the Express going into their next game against Alaska on Sunday since Seigle is up for review after being thrown out, 2:03 left. Seigle was ejected for a flagrant foul-Penalty 2 slapped on him after he threw the ball at referee John Cabilles, apparently in disgust after Anthony’s drive netted him a three-point-play opportunity that eventually made it
97-89.
It was a big loss as Seigle, along with Jondan Salvador, Leo Avenido and Wynne Arboleda, conspiring in the fightback that trimmed the deficit to just 68-71.
After Gonzales’ short stab off a Reyes feed, the Express had the chance to stay within three points, but Salvador got caught elbowing Anthony – his fifth foul – and the Tigers took a 73-68 lead into the fourth. (NC)
The scores:
Powerade 109 - Porter 22, Anthony 21, Cruz 18, Reyes J. 14, Gonzales 14, Rizada 4, Macapagal 4, Reyes R. 3, Allera 2, Lanete 2, Espino 2, Antonio 2, Quinahan 1.
Air21 91- Seigle 23, Hontiveros 13, Bangura 10, Canaleta 8, Salvador 7, Avenido 7, Arboleda 5, Espiritu 4, Najorda 4, Sharma 4, Artadi 4, Cabahug 2, Urbiztondo 0.
Quarterscores: 20-28, 52-47, 73-68, 109-91.
Source: PBA.ph
