BARROCA KEYS HOTSHOTS’ WIN
Gilas tackles Greece in FIBA U19 opener
Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. - San Miguel vs Columbian Dyip 6:45 p.m. - Barangay Ginebra vs Alaska
Magnolia gave Zamboangueño Mark Barroca a rousing homecoming as it roared to its fifth straight victory at the expense of Meralco, 99-88, last night in the PBA Commissioner ’s Cup at Mayor Vitaliano Aban Coliseum in Zamboanga City.
The Hotshots made it a night to remember for local hero Barroca, putting up an inspired showing to seal the wire-to-wire triumph in the Petron Blaze Saturday Special out-oftown game and continue their rise from a 0-2 start.
Barroca, who returned to the stadium he used to play in prior to being discovered and recruited by Far Eastern U, made sure it was also a personal success as he turned in 21 points and seven assists to earn Best Player of the Game accolade.
Paul Lee (18 markers spiked by four triples), import James Farr (19-17 plus three blocks) and Ian Sangalang (11-10-2) delivered solid numbers to complement Barroca’s efforts as the squad moved two Ws behind pacesetting TNT (7-1) and second-running NorthPorth (7-2).
The Hotshots spoiled the debut of Delroy James, who netted 35 points with 10 boards in his maiden appearance for the Bolts (3-6). Chris Newsome was the only other Meralco player in double figures with 10, making most of them in their third-quarter rally.
Magnolia laid the foundation for the runaway triumph with a big salvo in the latter half of the first canto.
With the score knotted at 12-12, the Hotshots asserted themselves and scored 18 unanswered points with Barroca, Marc Pingris, Justin Melton, Lee, PJ Simon and Jio Jalalon taking turns puncturing the hoop.
The Bolts mounted a big rally in the third, chopping down Magnolia’s lead to four, but the Hotshots regrouped and countered with their own run to restore a 72-63 spread to end the period. Victolero’s wards kept pounding in the fourth to widen the gap further, 95-74.
Meanwhile, reeling from a numbing 103111 loss to Phoenix Pulse last Friday, Barangay Ginebra seeks to bounce back tonight against an Alaska side that brought back old reliable Diamon Simpson as reinforcement.
The Gin Kings, who share fifth spot with fellow 4-4 carder Aces, aim for No. 5 in the 6:45 p.m. main game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to boost their shot at the upper rungs of the quarterfinal race.
San Miguel (2-4), coming off an embarrassing 82-118 beatdown from Magnolia last week, also eyes redemption when it meets Columbian Dyip (1-6) at 4:30 p.m. The scores: Magnolia 99 – Barroca 21, Farr 19, Lee 18, Sangalang 11, Jalalon 9, Melton 6, Simon 5, Pingris 4, Herndon 3, Dela Rosa 3, Brondial 0.
Meralco 88 – James 35, Newsome 10, Tolomia 8, Hodge 6, Faundo 6, Jackson 5, Quinto 3, Salva 2, Amer 2, Canaleta 2, Caram 2, Pinto 0, Hugnatan 0.
Quarterscores: 32-15, 51-53, 72-63, 99-88
After a long and tedious preparation, the tallest Philippine youth team in history will finally be measured and tested today when it tackles home team Greece in the opener of the FIBA U19 World Cup at the Heraklion Arena in Greece.
Led by the towering frontcourt duo of 7-foot-2 Kai Sotto and 6-foot-11 AJ Edu, the Nationals troop into 1:30 a.m. (Manila time) duel with a gigantic task of pulling off an upset on world No. 15 Greece, which will be cheered on by an expected frenetic Heraklion homecrowd.
Add the presence of other big men in 6-foot-9 Geo Chiu and 6-foot-8 Carl Tamayo, the 30th-ranked Gilas youth will definitely have the ceiling it never had before to stand a fighting chance against the U19 powerhouses.
Still though, head coach Sandy Arespacochaga admitted needing more than that especially against a lanky and lethal Greek wing led by 6-foot-8 Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos.
“We are going up against a strong Greece team. Though we have a tall frontcourt, it will just help us neutralize our height disadvantage in the wing,” Arespacochaga told The STAR, referring to the 18-year old Rogkavopoulos, who normed 19.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in the U18 European qualifiers last year
“The Greek team we will be facing is tall at all positions led by a 6-foot-8 forward who is their leading scorer,” Arespacochaga said.
This explains why Arespacochaga is calling on his other personnel to step up as they will need more than the twin towers of Sotto and Edu to compete not only against Greece but also against Russia and Argentina in Pool C of the prestigious quadrennial basketball tilt for the 19-and-under age group.
“It’s going to be an uphill battle for us every game. We’ ve been telling our boys. Our opponents are stronger. It would require more from us,” Arespacochaga added. “It will not be Kai and AJ against our foes but the whole Gilas youth against our opponents. ”