LEAGUE LEADING BOOSTERS EYE 4 IN A ROW
Can Barako Bull’s Dorian Pena and Mick Pennisi get Petron Blaze rookie June Mar Fajardo into early foul trouble? If they can, then the Boosters are in for big, big trouble Wednesday.
With only nine healthy players on the bench, the Boosters will be at a decided handicap when they face the hard-pounding Barako Bull Energy in the PLDT myDSL PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Unbeaten Petron is eyeing its fourth straight win and solo leadership, while Barako Bull, which saw its two-game winning start snapped by Rain or Shine a few days ago, seeks to join the big boys atop the standings.
Practically everybody dismissed Barako Bull after it relinquished its rights to three first round Draft picks for veteran players who have seen better days. But as vehemently as BB management argued that the trades were part of a well-thought team strategy, the Energy silenced critics with two hard-earned victories, including one over the Alaska Aces.
A loss to Petron won’t mean the end of the world for Barako Bull, which could still be sitting ahead of five ballclubs in the elimination round. It’s a victory that would send heads spinning.
At 3-1, the Energy could find themselves in the midst of a 4-way tie at the helm. At worse, it could share second place with 2 or 3 others.
Petron isn’t giving any thought to the first scenario, however.
“We have healthy guys who can really step up,” said Petron coach Gee Abanilla.
Foremost, of course, is the 6-foot-10 Fajardo who had 21 points and 25 rebounds when the Boosters grounded San Mig Coffee, 91-78, a week ago.
There, too, are MVP Arwind Santos, who had 17 points and 14 rebounds against the Mixers, Marcio Lassiter 15 points, and Chris Lutz 14 points and 13 assists.
Fajardo, however, will be the center of attraction — and he has nobody to take his place when he has to catch his breath. As proof, he had to play 41 minutes against San Mig, and Santos 42, to keep Petron’s octane-level at a maximum.
Against the Energy’s rugged and experienced frontline, Fajardo could find himself lost in the battle for inside dominance. And if he gets into foul trouble early, then Petron could be lost as well.
A light shines at the end of the tunnel for Petron although the two players coming back from injuries are both playmakers, Alex Cabagnot (foot) and Chris Ross (hamstring).
Doug Kramer had 5 rebounds against San Mig and could help keep Barako at bay. But the Boosters’ tallest sub, 6-foot-7 Yousef Taha, is out for a little while longer with a strained knee, leaving Fajardo and Santos no choice but to replicate their double-double points-rebound performance against the Mixers.
“They’re already O.K. ” said Abanilla of Cabagnot and Ross. “But based on the calendar and the protocol that we’re following, we’d rather play it safe at this moment. We don’t want to risk playing them now only for them to get injured again.”
Prudence, Abanilla probably figured, could be the better part of valor at this time.
“We’ll just make do with what we have; we’ll play our cards right,” he said.
The resurrected Willie Miller, who had 23 points against Rain or Shine, and the lights-out shooting of Ronjay Buenafe, Mark Macapagal and Keith Jensen will keep the Petron backcourt busy defensively, with Pennisi popping out every now and then to launch those shot put triples of his.
“We’re aware of how good they are; they can have a good game,” said Abanilla. “They have veterans who know how to win. The last loss they have can fire them up, so we just have to be prepared and focus on the game and play defense.” (WJRHT)
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