Down and out, yet Barako Bull won’t go out with a whimper.
Dennis Daa came through with a winning play with four tenths of a second left to play as Barako
Bull pulled through in its farewell game in the PBA Philippine Cup, ending an eight-game slump with
an 85-83 nail-biter over B-MEG Derby Ace at the Araneta Coliseum Friday.
Daa snared a crucial offensive rebound, drew a foul from Rico Maierhofer and canned in two
charities as the Energy Boosters gate-crashed what’s supposed to be a Derby Ace party.
“We’re eliminated but I told the boys before the game that they still have to show to millions
of televiewers out there and thousands in the venue that they belong in this league,” said Barako
head coach Junel Baculi.
Respond to the challenge the Energy Booster did, allowing them to end their poor showing in the
all-Filipino tourney on a winning note.
“Marunong din palang mag-handle ng pressure ang mga players ko. I have to give it to them,”
Baculi said.
“Pahinga muna kami. In the next few days, I’ll meet with the management to see what lies ahead
for the team,” Baculi added.
Barako Bull failed to advance to the playoffs for the fifth straight conference. And yet again, the
Energy Boosters ended up at the tail-end with a 3-11 win-loss card.
Derby Ace wound up with a 7-7 slate, needing to await the results of the four remaining elims games
to know its final seeding in the playoffs. But based on the remaining 16 scenarios, the defending
champion is already assured of a place in one of the two best-of-3 quarterfinals.
The Llamados could have easily beaten the Energy Boosters if not for their horrendous free throws.
They converted only 56.8 percent of their charities, missing nine in the fourth quarter.
The Energy Boosters did much better.
There’s even Daa inadvertently making a charity he’s looking to miss after he had canned in the
front-end of a couple with 0.4 of a second to go.
Barako Bull completed the shocker just the same, though, as Maierhofer missed a make-or-break
attempt at the buzzer on an alley-oop inbounds play from Roger Yap.
Earlier, Salvacion shook off defender Marc Pingris then banged away a long twinner to tie the count
at 83-all with 41.8 seconds left to play.
Barako got a big possession after Jerwin Gaco missed a top-of-the-key jumper with 15 seconds left
in the clock.
Daa finished with a double-double game with 11 points and 10 rebounds while Salvacion wound up with
15 points, three rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Big men Mark Isip and Mark Andaya chipped in at least 10 points each.
James Yap led all scorers with 22 points but he himself missed crucial charities. Gaco and Jonas
Villanueva added 12 apiece.
Peter June Simon was out serving a suspension he incurred for his flagrant foul the last time out.
He was also fined P20,000.
Romel Adducul also committed a flagrant infraction in that game and he was assessed a fine of
P5,000.
On Wednesday, Air21 and Rain or Shine figured in a highly emotional game marred by hard fouls by
Wesley Gonzales and JR Reyes and incidents that saw coaches Yeng Guiao and Caloy Garcia confront the
refs.
Gonzales drew a fine of P20,000 while Guiao and Garcia were fined P10,000 each. (SB)
The scores:
Barako Bull 85 - Salvacion 15,I sip 13, Daa 1, Andaya 10,Viray 6, Juntilla 6, Hubalde 5, Dimaunahan
5, Yee 5, Cruz 4, Wainwright 2, Hermida 2, Alonzo 1.
B-Meg Derby Ace 83 -- J Yap 22, Gaco 12, Villanueva 12, Canaleta 8, R. Yap 8,A llado 6, Acuna 4,
Maierhofer 4, Salvador 4, Pingris 3, Adducul 0.
Quarterscores: 22-26, 48-43, 66-68, 85-83
