Giants back on track
DESPITE missing three key players last night, Purefoods proved it has a well-stocked arsenal.
Led by a trusted rookie’s phenomenal game, the undermanned Giants brought down Talk N Text last night 108-102 to get back on track in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Rico Maierhofer, Purefoods’ No. 2 pick in the rookie draft, tallied career-highs with 20 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots to lead the Giants back from an upset 79-93 loss to an Asi Taulava-less Coca-Cola crew two Fridays ago.
Nino Canaleta, James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Marc Pingris, Roger Yap and even Jondan Salvador also chipped in, enabling Purefoods to overcome its manpower shortage and notch its third win in five starts.
"Players usually have this mentality, that when we lack some players they think, ‘Now we can lose,’" related Gregorio, who missed the services of the injured PJ Simon (knee) and Rafi Reavis (hamstring) and the ailing Don Allado.
"I told them that even if we’re down to only six or five players, we must still go all out to win."
The loss dropped TNT to an even 2-2 win-loss slate alongside idle Barako Bull and just below Sta. Lucia Realty in the standings. The Realtors dropped to 3-3 after absorbing a 69-88 loss to rampaging San Miguel Beer in a Phoenix Fuel-PBA on Tour game in Victorias City last Saturday.
Harvey Carey matched his total output in TNT’s first three games with 20 points and his two charities capped the Tropang Texters’ fightback from a nine-point fourth-quarter deficits to within 99-101, still 1:23 to go.
But Pingris tipped in a James Yap miss and had a defensive rebound that led to the latter’s charity. Then Maierhofer blocked Ren-Ren Ritualo’s triple try, leading to a fastbreak by Yap that made it a seven-point game, only 30 ticks left.
Despite the absence of its two frontliners, Purefoods surprisingly dominated the boards 56-31, turning its 21 offensive rebounds into 26 points. Roger Yap had six of his game-high 11 rebounds off the offensive glass with Salvador also notching 10 boards.
"(Assistant) coach Koy (Banal) said the only way to beat Talk N Text is to grab those rebounds kaya doon ako talaga nag-concentrate, sa mga putbacks," said Maierhofer.