Energy Cola to show they’re no fakes

MANILA, Philippines - Barako Bull, much maligned in the pre-season for its surprise moves on draft day, hopes to continue to be a revelation, seeking a third straight win in tangling with Rain or Shine in the PLDT MyDSL PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City tonight.

Coach Bong Ramos, however, expects a tough test against the Elasto Painters in their 5:15 p.m. setto, after the 3 p.m. tiff between winless teams San Mig Coffee and Air21.

“Rain or Shine is a strong and tough team. If we can match their toughness and physicality then we have a chance to upset them,” said Ramos, whose Energy Cola surprised many with their 2-0 start in the tourney, rolling past the Express and the Commissioner’s Cup champs Alaska Milk Aces.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao isn’t taking Barako Bull lightly, believing the Energy Cola have got what it takes to compete.

“We need to bring down their three-point shooting percentage. They’re just too hot from the outside,” said Guiao noting the torrid shooting Barako used to torch Alaska, 97-93, last Sunday.

“We need to apply a lot of ball pressure or extend our defense. It might open up our middle and make us vulnerable to their inside game, but it’s a risk we have to take. Looks like a high scoring match which is good for us,” Guiao also said.

The Elasto Painters also got to a 2-0 start in the season before running into the vastly improved Barangay Ginebra team also last Sunday.

Mark Caguioa scattered 22 points while the towering frontcourt duo of Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter combined for 37 makers and 23 boards as the Kings reigned over the E-Painters, 97-84.

Barako Bull, meanwhile, unloaded a barrage of three-pointers as it rallied from 15 points down early in the fourth quarter en route to its four-point decision over Alaska.

Ronjay Buenafe and Mick Pennisi both went 3-of-3 from beyond the arc in the payoff period as against Alaska’s 0-of-6 clip as the Energy Cola continued to prove their detractors wrong, nailing a follow-up on their triumphant season debut versus the Express.

Buenafe finished with seven treys in all and a two-year personal best of 27 points, including an acrobatic shot off heavy traffic that pushed Barako Bull ahead to stay at 95-93 with 33.7 ticks left.

Tonight, Buenafe and his teammates hope to keep their perfect slate in the tourney.

Looking to come out of the rut are the San Mig Coffee Mixers and the Air21 Express. They are in the cellar with identical 0-3 slates.

“It’s difficult but we’re trying hard not to focus on our record. We want to just concentrate on the day-to-day process of getting better,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

“We’ve had a tough early schedule and we know we have a large target on our chests since winning the last championship, but these are the things you have to get through and overcome,” Cone also said.

“Our guys are a confident bunch and they know they will spin out of this at some point. Hopefully, it will all start on Sunday,” Cone added.

The Mixers are optimistic despite injuries to Peter June Simon, Joe Devance and Justin Melton.

Their problem is that they have yet to find a real good rhythm in the tourney since their conquest of the Petron Blaze Boosters in the recent PBA Governors Cup finale.

They’ve yet to win a game with No. 2 draft selection Ian Sangalang.