DUNIGAN RECORDS SEASON’S 1ST 30-20 GAME AS AIR21 FINALLY GETS OVER HUMP
MICHAEL Dunigan came back strong from a sorry windup the last time out and the rest of Air21 took his cue.
With Dunigan coming up with a monster game the Express dealt the Batang Pier a 106-94 loss Sunday to snap out of a five-game slide in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dunigan finished with game-highs of 35 points and 20 rebounds – the first 30-20 game this season — while completely taking the lead in the stretch that turned a tight contest into a runaway victory that was Air21’s first in almost a month.
Mark Isip, Mike Cortez and Wynne Arboleda each wound up with 12 points, but it was Dunigan atoning for his two costly endgame mistakes in an 88-89 loss to Meralco last Wednesday that drew the most praise from Express coach Franz Pumaren.
“Mike being young, only 23, he was able to overcome those booboos,” said Pumaren. “He still played a solid game. I thought he’s not mentally tough, but he showed us with this performance that he is worthy of being recognized as one of the best imports in this conference.”
With the that gave it a 2-5 win-loss slate overall, Pumaren also said his squad could also start putting behind its last five games it lost by an average of only 3.6 points.
“At least with this victory it eases the pain a little from our previous games,” said Pumaren. “It was disappointing, our past few games, when we lost down the stretch. This time we finished strong.”
While Air21’s woes may be behind it, it seems the end is nowhere in sight for Globalport. The loss stretched its slide to five, bringing it down to a 2-6 record.
Walter Sharpe, who arrived only last Friday evening to replace the offensively-strapped Justin Williams, scored 24 points and nine rebounds and Gary David added 20 anchored on 14-for-19 free throw shooting but they could not stop the Batang Pier from another fade.
Free throws by David pulled Globalport within 91-94, but it went without a field goal in nine of its next 11 possessions and was limited to just three more charities in the final four minutes of play.
Dunigan, meanwhile, gave Air21 a more comfortable lead with four straight points before the likes of Arboleda and KG Canaleta joined in to pluck the Express from a 99-94 count.
“Michael’s playing really well,” noted Pumaren. “His personal trainer is his mom and his mom is pushing Michael.”
Pumaren can now only hope his entire Express crew can get much better when it goes into the second half of its 14-game elimination assignments. “With this game we’re back in the hunt,” he said.
“Hopefully, we can sustain this.” (NC)
The scores:
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