BARAKO BULL ENDS CONFERENCE ON WINNING NOTE
Barako Bull ended its campaign in the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on a winning note via a 96-87 decision over fellow eliminated team Globalport Sunday in the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Energy Cola, who recorded their second win in their last three games, thus finished in ninth place for the second straight conference with a 5-9 win-loss record, but still a game better than its 4-10 in the Philippine Cup.
“It was not an important game for us but we were fighting to win this game because we wanted to finish the conference with a win and we did,” said Barako Bull team consultant Rajko Toroman in the postgame interview.
Allein Maliksi led Barako Bull with his 25 points and 12 rebounds, both career-highs while Josh Urbiztondo tallied 17 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals and import DJ Mbenga had 14 points, 15 rebounds and three shotblocks.
Mark Macapagal ang Danny Seigle added 12 ang 11 points as all five Energy Cola starters finished in double figures.
Urbiztondo’s five straight points sparked an 11-4 wind-up by Barako Bull in the final 1:51 of the game after the Batang Pier, led by Gary David, Mark Yee and Willie Miller, crept to within 83-85 after being down by as much as 15 points 22 seconds into the final period.
David’s 28 and Yee’s 11 were the only double-digit scores for Globalport which lost for the 11th straight time, the longest losing streak by any team this season, and longest since Shopinas.com lost all its 14 games in last season’s Philippine Cup.
The Batang Pier, which actually led by as much as 20-11 in the first period, thus finished 10th and last for the second straight conference but like Barako Bull also improved by a win after its 1-13 in the Philippine Cup.
In their first meeting last Feb. 10, Barako Bull beat Globalport in overtime 98-88 for an impressive 2-0 conference start.
But the Energy Cola could only win three of their next 12 games, curiously winning all three games at the MOA Arena, including Sunday night, while losing all nine played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Toroman hinted there could be changes on the complexion of the team in the next Governors Cup which will begin middle of August after the FIBA-Asia Men’s Basketball Championships which the country is hosting.
“We want to make small changes in the composition of the team. Maybe a three or a four because we lack a wingman and another big man. We don’t know how to do it but we’ll see,” said Toroman. (FM)
The scores:
BARAKO BULL 96 – Maliksi 25, Urbiztondo 17, Mbenga 14, Macapagal 12, Seigle 11, Monfort 7, Intal 5, Pennisi 5, Duncil 0, Kramer 0.
GLOBALPORT 87 – David 28, Yee 11, Aguilar 8, Miller 8, Morgan 7, Deutchman 7, Mandani 4, Aljamal 4, Salvador 4, Lingganay 2, Juntilla 2, Antonio 2, Belencion 0.
Quarterscores: 20-23, 39-35, 69-56, 96-87
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