B-Meg repays TNT in spades

B-Meg repays TNT in spades

B-Meg Derby Ace 104 vs. Talk ‘N Text 97

by rick olivares

November 5, 2010

Araneta Coliseum

When B-Meg Derby Ace Llamado Jerwin Gaco fouled out of the game against the Talk “N Text Tropang Texters with 1:45 left to play, the power forward received a standing ovation from the team faithful and his teammates. In the payoff period, Gaco broke an 86-all tie with a jumper over TNT’s Kelly Williams, put back a missed shot by teammate James Yap, assisted Rico Maierhofer on a play and pulled down and bunch of rebounds.

In 27 minutes, he tallied 12 points, eight rebounds (including three offensive boards), and two assists in a 104-97 win by the Llamados that was only their second in seven matches. But they had landed a big fish in TNT that was trying to keep pace with league-leading San Miguel stood at 6-1. 

Outside the victorious B-Meg locker room as Gaco was interviewed by this writer, team manager Alvin Patrimonio chipped in his own two centavos’ worth: “Galing nito (Gaco)! Idol ko yan. Malayo mararating niyan.”

The road to the Philippine Basketball Association took longer than Jerwin Gaco figured. After leaving college in 2004, the power forward spent a long time in the PBL with Harbour Centre and the ABL with the Philippine Patriots where he won a multitude of championships. But the call up to the pros never came. But when he finally reached it last season with Barako Energy Coffee Masters, he told he himself that he’d work harder to stay in. When he learned that the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados were bringing him in, he felt elated. “Ako naman basta may trabaho (referring to Harbour Centre and the Philippine Patriots), masaya ako. Pero ngayon nasa B-Meg, ito na yung pagkakataon na hinihintay ko,” said Gaco.

With the defending Philippine Cup champions missing three players in Rafi Reavis, Marc Pingris, and Kerby Raymundo; and their longtime coach Ryan Gregorio who transferred to another team, the title defense was off to a shaky start. Gaco made contributions here and there but what he hoped for was a solid game to make his mark.

Heading into the rematch with Talk ‘N Text who blew them out 113-95 last October 6, the Llamados knew that that they had to make a stand now instead of excuses.

But first they had to overhaul a 16-point lead.

The lead was the result of great defense and a relentless attack inside. After TNT’s Jared Dillinger picked up his second foul with 3:32 left in the first quarter, he was replaced by new pick up Larry Fonacier. Talk ‘N Text’s lead at that point was 17-11, but the former Alaska Ace’s great defense on Llamados’ star James Yap and his ability to find the open man with a nifty assist spurred the Tropang Texters to a 16-point lead, 38-22.

However, when Fonacier went to the bench for a breather, the Texters were slower to beat the staggered screens for Derby Ace’s shooters. And in the next nine minutes, B-Meg clocked TNT with a 32-15 blitz behind Jonas Villanueva, Peter June Simon, Yap, and Gaco who chipped in six points of his own.

And just like that, B-Meg was up 54-53 at the half and TNT head coach Chot Reyes was upset with his team’s sudden matador defense.

So flustered were the Texters that when Reyes asked his players what this game was supposed to be all about, no one answered. Not even when the coach asked the question six times. “Either you don’t know what it is or you’re ashamed of yourselves,” goaded the coach who hoped that it would stoke his team’s competitive fires.

But it was too late. B-Meg’s shooters had not only found the range from the outside but they also gained confidence to win the game.

If Fonacier stopped Yap earlier, now he couldn’t. Even when Jared Dillinger  and Ryan Reyes alternated with the defensive chores on the Llamados’ star, Yap continued to torch them.

To underscore the impact, the trio of Simon, Villanueva, and Yap combined for 10-17 shooting from three-point range. That’s 30 points and no other B-Meg player hit a trey.

With the trio homing in on the basket, that stretched the defense of TNT and allowed Gaco and Maierhofer to do serious damage inside.

The Texters actually had a chance to come close but a couple of missed baskets inside allowed the Llamados to six points to TNT’s two in the final minute of play.

Chot Reyes’ team fell to 5-2 that is still good for second place. But Barangay Ginebra’s win over Air21 in the nightcap put them on level terms.

“You know you let this slip away, gentlemen,” said Reyes in their post-game meeting. “It’s up to you how you want to move from this loss.”

As for Gaco who received several greetings from appreciative fans as he made his way outside the Araneta Coliseum, he’s going to make the most out of this opportunity.

B-Meg Derby Ace 104 – Yap James 24, Simon 23, Villanueva 17, Gaco 12, Maierhofer 8, Yap Roger 8, Salvador 6, Allado 4, Adducul 2, Acuña 0, Canaleta 0

Talk ‘N Text 97 – Williams 22, Alapag 18, Carey 15, Dillinger 12, Castro 12, Fonacier 9, Reyes 5, Aban 4, Yee 0, Lao 0, Peek 0

Notes: Heading into the match, TNT’s Harvey Carey and Ali Peek were two of four players averaging a double double. The other two were Alaska’s Sonny Thoss and Barangay Ginebra’s Rudy Hatfield. In the loss to B-Meg, Carey tallied 15 points and seven rebounds while Peek had no points and six rebounds. B-Meg avoided the worst ever start by an All-Filipino defending champion. According to B-Meg head coach Jorge Gallent, Marc Pingris will be making his return to action when the Llamados play Rain or Shine and Rafi Reavis should be activated by the second week of December.