Tubid sparks Ginebra and Cool Cat finishes off Barako Bull

Tubid sparks Ginebra and Cool Cat finishes off Barako Bull

by rick olivares pic by nuki sabio

December 8, 2011

Smart Araneta Coliseum

This is what a little bravado can do for you in a crucial 88-83 win.

With Barangay Ginebra reeling from the onslaught of Barako Bull, Ronald Tubid, he of the less-than-saintly court demeanor, pulled down a simple defensive rebound. But he did so with Rodmanesque aplomb that it elicited a roar from the pro-Kings crowd.

He drove to the basket and fished a foul from the Energy Boosters’ Danny Seigle after which he sank both free throws to level the match at 69-all. That would be the last time both teams would be deadlocked.

After a failed Barako offensive, Tubid got the ball from Willy Wilson and hit a three-pointer from left side of the arc. The man they call “The Saint” blew kisses to the crowd as he had them in the palm of his hand.

Brimming with confidence, he returned the favor to Wilson with an assist for a 74-69 lead (Wilson blew the bonus free throw).

The Saint would blow three more attempts and he sheepishly grinned as he was subbed out for JC Intal but the appreciative Smart Araneta Coliseum audience gave him a loud ovation.

Although both sides traded missed shot after miscue in the next few possessions, Tubid’s mini-explosion was just the spark that Ginebra needed with Mark Caguioa going through a horrid shooting night (6-18). His teammates then followed his cue with huge shots of their own.

With 7:39 left in the fourth quarter clock, Ginebra point guard Mike Cortez drilled a pair triples that sandwiched a Caguioa jumper.

The 12-2 fourth quarter run consumed nearly six minutes and provided sufficient cushion (as Ginebra missed four free throws in the final 23 seconds of play) to buck the Energy Boosters’ last stand that was anchored on Dylan Ababou, Willie Miller, and Seigle.

At the final whistle, the Kings had an 88-83 victory that put them at 8-5 with one last match with Talk ‘N Text to play.

“Nakakatakot itong firepower of Barako,” observed Ginebra head coach Siot Tanquincen after the match. “They are capable of coming back. It was a concern of ours. Like Willie (Miller). He can put up numbers. The same as Danny (Seigle). They have proven themselves before. And nasaktan kami ni Leo Najorda (who pumped in 14 points including 12 in their stirring third quarter run that saw them come back from a 47-32 halftime deficit). They’ve been in this situations and they know how to score.”

But Ginebra isn’t so shabby itself when it comes to scoring. Cortez notched 17, Caguioa had 16 and Rob Labagala and Nino Canaleta added 14 and 13 respectively. The Kings lorded it over the Energy Boosters on the rebounding department where they had a massive 58-39 advantage that saw them score 17 second chance points. “We’re getting there,” added assistant Jong Uichico. “But we still have to fine tune a lot of things. But we’re getting there and playing much better.”

Ginebra 88 – Cortez 17, Caguioa 16, Labagala 14, Canaleta 13, Wilson W. 8, Villanueva 7, Tubid 6, Intal 4, Menk 3, Maliksi 0, Mamaril 0.

Barako Bull 83 – Miller 18, Najorda 14, Ababou 12, Arboleda 11, Allado 9, Seigle 8, Peña 6, Artadi 3, Pennisi 2, Salvador 0, Salvacion 0.