Ginebra derails the Air21 Express

Ginebra derails the Air21 Express

Barangay Ginebra 107 vs. Air21 81

by rick olivares

November 5, 2010

Araneta Coliseum

In a match-up between two of the hottest teams in the PBA Philippine Cup, the Barangay Ginebra Kings showed the young Air21 Express that they have a long way to go before they become a force in the league with a 107-81 thrashing.

Once the Kings took a 6-5 lead following two free throws by center Rico Villanueva, the perennial crowd favorites stepped on the gas pedal and never looked back. So dominant were the Kings who have been routinely bamboozling foes with huge leads of 20-plus points that before their match against the Yeng Guiao-coached Express, they beat their last three foes by an average of 15.6 points.

Ginebra, in seven matches thus far, has been averaging 86.4 points while surrendering 75.2 points to opponents. Their 11.2 point differential is the best in the league. Yet for all the offensive might in its arsenal, the Kings only hit the triple-digit scoring mark only once but it was against the Express that had won three of its last four matches (San Miguel has reached the century mark twice so far and near did once more on another occasion).

Six Kings scored in double figures with Ronald Tubid top scoring for his side with 16 points. Teammate Rudy Hatfield, was one of four players averaging a double double for the Philippine Cup (the others are Alaska’s Sonny Thoss and Talk ‘N Text’s Harvey Carey and Ali Peek), but the power playing Michigan-native’s game output of eight points and 18 boards dropped his total to 9.7 points and 13.2 rebounds per game.

“The important thing is we are playing better,” underscored winning coach Jong Uichico. “It seems that we have finally gelled but if you ask me, there is still more work to be done. We came in with a lot of intensity that Air21 was not able to match.”

So dominant were the Kings that they led by as much as 33 points after Mark Caguioa hit back to back buckets for a 84-51 lead at the start of the fourth quarter.

Rico Villanueva typified the Kings’ no let up offense as he took a forward pass from Ronald Tubid for a two-handed flush that had the Araneta Coliseum rocking. Villanueva’s dunk, for an 89-60 Ginebra lead with under seven minutes to play, gave him a total 12 points, 11 caroms, four assists, one steal, and one block.

In a star-studded cast with the Kings, Villanueva has oft looked lost and a far cry from his dominant self when he was with the Guiao-mentored Red Bull squad where he won a championship. “I just want to be able to contribute,” he said before the game.

The game also featured a match-up between him and fellow Ateneo alumnus Rabeh Al-Hussaini. Both gave the school a championship with the latter garnering a back-to-back crown. Al-Hussaini scored 17 points and hauled down eight boards but it was his brother Carlo Sharma who tried to keep his team in the fight at the height of Ginebra’s onslaught as he scored 16 points to go with nine boards.

But it was Air21’s turnovers and poor transition defense that Ginebra took advantage of. The Kings scored 23 fastbreak points, 16 second chance points, and 15 turnover points. The Express collectively mustered 32 points in those three categories in response.

Air21’s Ronjay Buenafe who scored 28 points in their win over the Powerade Tigers was limited to a measly six points. “We wanted to stop Ronjay,” said Uichico. “If we accomplished that, then we’d force the others to beat us. And we know that this is a young team. It just so happens that we are a veteran team.”

“That was one thorough butt kicking,” said Air21 point guard Josh Urbiztondo with a shake of his head after the match.

Ginebra 107 – Tubid 16, Miller 13, Villanueva 12, Caguiao 12, Helterbrand 12, Wilson 10, Aquino 9, Cortez 8, Hatfield 8, De Ocampo 5, Mamaril 2, Cruz 0

Air21 81 – Al-Hussaini 17, Sharma 16, Urbiztondo 14, Quiñahan 12, Gonzales 8, Buenafe 6, Baclao 4, Matias 2, Najorda 2, Guevarra 0, Arboleda 0

Ginebra’s Philippine Cup record so far:

72-73 L to Meralco

82-75 W Powerade

68-69 L to SMB

93-74 W Barako

93-82 W B-Meg

90-73 W Rain or Shine

107-81 W Air21