FOR EARLY SOLO LEAD
It’s a moment that doesn’t come so often for Air21 as the Express take a shot at early league leadership in tangling with the Talk n Text Tropang Texters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome Saturday.
The Express and the Texters fight for the lead in their 5:45 p.m. tussle after winning their initial outing versus the GlobalPort Batang Pier and the Alaska Aces, respectively, Wednesday.
Much focus could well be on the import matchup between Air21’s Herve Lamizana and Talk n Text’s Richard Howell.
Lamizana picked up his game after the halftime break, pouring in all but two of his 22 points in the second half as the Express turned back the GlobalPort Batang Pier, 83-78.
Meanwhile, Howell dominated the boards, snaring season-high 30 rebounds that went with 15 points as the Texters clobbered the defending champion Aces, 85-72.
“Right now our concern is pacing our import. We play a very tough team Saturday (Talk n Text) and we’ll see,” said Air21 coach Franz Pumaren, concerned with Lamizana’s consistency.
Awing almost everybody in his PBA debut was Howell.
The former North Carolina State stalwart said he had Jimmy Alapag to thank for. “Jimmy is in my ear everyday. He tells me no matter what happens, I just have to keep going,” said Howell.
“It’s a lot more physical here (PBA). They (referees) don’t call the foul as they would in the (United) States. But that’s part of the adjustment I have to make in my game,” he also said.
Obviously, he handled things well versus the Aces, providing the Texters a solid anchor defensively.
Howell performed his task to control the boards and let his local teammates do the scoring as the Tropang Texters dominated their first outing since being disposed of by the eventual champs San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in their Philippine Cup Final Eight faceoff.
He was the first player in the PBA in eight years to chalk up 30 rebounds or since Ginebra import Chris Porter notched the same in an 85-77 win over Red Bull in Game Six of the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinals.
After struggling with a 1-of-6 shooting in the first half, Lamizana, on the other hand, returned doing almost everything in the second half, helping the Express to a triumphant start in the mid-season tourney coming from a 10th-place finish in the Philippine Cup.
“It’s the first game. It’s a little intense, and coach told me I have to get used to the style of play here,” said Lamizana of his poor first half.
“In the second half, I just did what I had to do. I showed what I’m here for. I picked it up to show what I’m capable of,” the Ivory Coast national player also said.
Howell and Lamizana are now up for an interesting showdown. (SB)
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