Barakos blast Tigers, 116-99, to lift chance at PBA semis

The Red Bull Barakos got back on track to gaining an outright semis berth at the 2007-08 Smart-PBA Philippine Cup after blasting the Coca Cola Tigers, 116-99, in the first game on Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay. Big man Mick Pennisi sparkled with a career-high 29 points and Mike Hrabak shot 5-for-5 from 3-point range as the Red Bull Barakos exacted revenge against the Tigers, who defeated them in their first meeting last December. Last December 5, the Tigers dealt the Barakos a 98-92 decision, but they couldn’t keep up with Red Bull largely because they struggled from the foul line, making just 29 of 44 free throw attempts. The Barakos' 10th win in 17 games tied them with Alaska at third spot, just 1.5 games behind second-ranked Sta. Lucia (11-6). The three teams are also disputing the second outright semifinals berth in the Philippine Cup. Purefoods has secured its place in the Final Four with a 12-4 record. Interestingly, the Giants' last two games in the eliminations are against Alaska and Red Bull. As things stand, the Barakos will have to win their last assignment and hope both Alaska and Sta. Lucia lose their last games to earn a playoff for the last coveted spot. Should either the Aces or the Realtors win, Red Bull's aspiration for a free passage into the semis goes down the drain. Asi Taulava scored 24 points, while Alex Cabagnot had 17, and Cesar Catli and Mark Telan added 11 apiece for the Tigers which picked up their 11th loss in 17 games. The result hardly mattered for the Tigers, who will see action in the wild card first round of the playoffs. The Barakos quelled Coke's fiery charge in the third with a 10-0 run late in the period on the way to snapping a two-game slump and kept their flickering hope for an outright semifinal berth alive. "I think this win guaranteed our place in the quarters," Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao said. "But I think our chances of making it outright to the semis look dim. We've lost two in a row and we're struggling at this point. So this win somewhat brings back our confidence." The Barakos' worst case scenario is being relegated to a playoff for the third and last outright quarterfinal berth which will happen if they figure in a four-way tie with Alaska, Talk 'N' Text, and Magnolia at 10-8 at the end of the elims. The top two teams after the double round-robin eliminations will advance to the best-of-seven semifinals outright. The third, fourth, and fifth-ranked teams will earn places in the best-of-three quarterfinals. Teams ranked from sixth to ninth places after the elims go through the knockout wild card stage with the lone surviving team grabbing the last quarterfinal spot. "We'll be playing Purefoods next Wednesday so but that time we know what's in store for us," Guiao said. The Tigers, who trailed by as many as 15 points in the opening quarter and 58-72 four minutes into the third, pulled within 71-76 three minutes later as Telan, Cabagnot, and Catli each knocked in a 3-pointer during a 13-4 assault. But Pennisi answered with his own trey and then sank three free throws to spark a 10-0 run that brought Red Bull's lead back to double digits. "I just got lucky tonight," Pennisi said. "They kept me open so I just keep shooting." Pennisi went 5-of-8 from the 3-point range to lead three other starters in double digits. The former national team member erased his previous high of 27 which he registered while still a rookie on April 2, 2000, in a 73-91 loss to Alaska in the All-Filipino Cup. Junthy Valenzuela scored 22 points, Cyrus Baguio had 21, and Hrabak finished with 17 for the Barakos, who shot 55 percent from the field, the highest by any team this conference. The Barakos, which WERE also impressive for the line by shooting 30-of-38, also scored THEIR highest output in a game this conference and since a 116-111 win over Air21 May 28 last year in the eliminations of last season’s Fiesta Conference. Scores Red Bull (116): Pennisi 29, Valenzuela 22, Baguio 21, Hrabak 17, Najorda 7, Bugia 6, Ybanez 5, Sharma 4, Cruz 3, Duncil 2, Membrere 0, Robinson 0 Coca-Cola (99): Taulava 24, Cabagnot 17, Catli 11, Telan 11, Buenafe 8, Calimag 8, Isip 7, Enrile 5, Duremdes 4, Dimaunahan 2, Tolomia 2 Quarters: 35-29, 61-53, 91-80, 116-99

- GMANews.TV