JAPETH’S BLOCK AND DUNK PARTY LEADS GINEBRA PAST AIR21
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel had to fend off a pesky Air21 Express in the endgame to take their sixth win in seven games, 78-69, in the PLDT my DSL-PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Japeth Aguilar shone the brightest for the Kings as he carried the team with a near triple-double of 22 points — inclusive of three highlight-reel slam dunks, 12 rebounds, and a career-high eight shotblocks.
Top pick Greg Slaughter and Chris Ellis also had double-doubles in the game. The seven-foot Slaughter had 19 markers and 10 boards to go with three rejections, while Air Force Ellis chimed in 10 points and 11 rebounds.
“We stuck to our defensive game plan kaya nanalo kami. Buti na lang, maganda yung execution nila nung endgame,” said Barangay Ginebra head coach Ato Agustin at the postgame interview inside the Willie Caballes Hall.
With the Kings leading at halftime, 41-26, the Express stormed right back in the game behind Joseph Yeo, who unloaded 21 of his 28 points in the second half to bring Air21 to as close as five, 70-65 with five minutes to play in the fourth. But Barangay Ginebra clamped down on defense, forcing the Express to turn the ball over and force shots in the endgame.
“Yung record namin na 6-1, andun lang sa second spot. Pero kailangan pa naming manalo para ma-earn yung twice-to-beat,” Agustin added. “Kailangan pa ng confidence as a team and also in our preparations.”
Nino Canaleta helped Yeo with his 14 points, while Asi Taulava only had eight points and 13 rebounds. Rookie Eric Camson had eight markers and 10 boards, while Mac Cardona was limited to just four points in the game for the Express, which suffered their seventh defeat in eight games.
Pressed to comment on Slaughter’s performance against the veteran Taulava, Agustin remarked that his rookie is trying his best to match up with the expectations rained upon him.
“Kahit beterano ang kaharap nya, he always tries his best. We just remind him sa defensive game plan, pero mas kailangan nyang maging aggressive offensively and defensively,” he said.
Agustin also credited his team captain Mark Caguioa who played sparingly after recovering from his flu, saying, “Ok yung support nya sa team na kahit nasa bench sya, binigyan nya ng morale yung team. Alam ni Mark na he’s the leader kaya nire-remind nya lahat ng players to do their job.” (RL)
PUTBACKS: Aguilar’s eight shotblocks equaled the sixth all-time most in a game by a local. The all-time record for local players is 11 by Purefoods’ Jerry Codinera on Oct. 3, 1989 when the Hotdogs routed San Miguel Beer 126-94… The 8 is also the most by a local player in more than nine years, or since Ali Peek also had 8 for Pop Cola in an 81-77 loss to Barangay Ginebra on Nov. 28, 2004… Overall it was also the most blocks in a game since Barangay Ginebra import Chris Alexander had 11 in a 97-87 loss to Air21 in Game 3 of the 2008 Fiesta Conference Finals… Son of former Ginebra player Peter, Japeth also joined an elite group of local players who swatted away at least 8 shots in a game. Aside from Peek and Codinera, the others to have achieved the feat were Philip Cezar, Benjie Paras, Marlou Aquino and Ramon Fernandez. (FM)
The scores:
BRGY GINEBRA 78 – Aguilar 22, Slaughter 19, Ellis 10, Caguioa 8, Baracael 7, Tenorio 4, Reyes 2, Helterbrand 2, Mamaril 2, Forrester 2, Monfort 0, Urbiztondo 0.
AIR21 69 – Yeo 28, Canaleta 14, Taulava 8, Camson 8, Cardona 4, Jaime 2, Burtscher 2, Custodio 2, Arboleda 1, Matias 0, Espiritu 0, Sharma 0, Ritualo 0.
Quarterscores: 15-16, 41-26, 57-46, 78-69.
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