Import bucks jetlag, propels Barako five past Boosters

Game today (Digos, Davao del Sur) 6:45 p.m. – B-Meg vs Air21 Games tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:15 p.m. – Alaska vs Meralco 6:30 p.m. – Petron vs Ginebra

STANDINGS W L

Without a rest from his Rain or Shine 4 1

long flight from the US, B-Meg 3 1 Petron 3 2

Leroy Hickerson churned Powerade 3 2

out a sterling all-around Barako 2 2

game, powering Barako Ginebra 2 2 Air21 1 2

Bull to a 111-107 victory Meralco 1 3 over Petron Blaze in the Alaska 1 3 Talk n Text 1 3 PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Hickerson marked his return to the local pro league with 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the Energy got back on track following back-to-back defeats.

“It definitely helped that he’s played here before. He knows some of the locals of ours and some locals of Petron. He also knows

Eddie (Basden),” said Barako coach Junel

Baculi.

Familiarity with the PBA brand of play

and with some of his teammates gave Hickerson some edge while fighting off the rigors of a long flight and all the paper works he had to work on in the day.

“He’s in shape but his eyes were all red in the dugout before the game,” said Baculi.

“He just flew in this morning. From the

airport, he went straight to the gym and we walked through our plays. From the gym, he went to the GAB (Games and Amusements Board) office (for his playing license) then to the PBA for the height measurement. Then he went to the game,” Baculi added.

Pacing himself well, Hickerson played a solid 38-minute game, doing much damage on Petron in the final half.

The former Air21 import, a two-time slam-dunk champion in the Mexican league, helped Barako through at the finish with two rebounds, an assist, a block, and a charity in the last 33 seconds.

Willie Miller and Ronald Tubid converted clutch shots as they also contributed big in Barako’s second win in four games in all.

Petron squandered a 14-point first-half

lead as it suffered a second loss in its last three games, dropping to 3-2 overall.

Gary David poured in 30 points – his 19th straight game with at least 20 – and Powerade streaked to its third straight win

in a 104-98 triumph over erstwhile unbeaten Rain or Shine later in the night.

“Our motivation was great. We wanted

to be the first to beat the unbeaten team,”

said Powerade coach Bo Perasol. The scores: First Game Barako 111 – Hickerson 32, Tubid 17, Kramer 17, Miller 16, Najorda 10, Allado 9, Weinstein 3, Pennisi 3, Cervantes 2, Gatumbato 2, Sharma 0, Cruz 0.

Petron 107 – Basden 23, Washington 23, Lutz 16, Cabagnot 12, Yeo 8, Santos 8, Ildefonso 8, Peña 7, Miranda 2, Reyes 0. Quarterscores: 30-34, 52-64, 84-91, 111-107 Second Game Powerade 104 – David 30, Sneed 24, Casio 12, Tugade 11, Al-Hussaini 9, Guevarra 6, Salvador 4, Martinez 3, Lingganay 3, Calimag 2, Vanlandingham 0, Anthony 0.

Rain or Shine 98 – Cornely 31, Lee 15, Cruz 15, Chan 12, Arana 9, Norwood 6, Quinahan 5, Buenafe 4, Ibanes 1, Matias 0, Tang 0, Belga 0.

Quarterscores: 23-19, 48-37, 74-71, 104-98