Hotdogs play big, win big over Pals

ANTIPOLO – Coach Louie Alas’ worst fear unravelled before his eyes – his Mobiline team being badly beaten by Purefoods in the middle.

Purefoods slotmen Andy Seigle and EJ Feihl dwarfed Jerry Codiñera, Gabby Cui and Gido Babilonia, providing the big difference as the Hotdogs drew first blood, 93-69, in their best-of-five PBA Governors Cup semifinal playoff with the Mobiline Phone Pals at the Ynares Sports Center here last night.

Seigle and Feihl outscored Codiñera, Cui and Babilonia by 17 points in the first half alone as the Hotdogs dominated the Phone Pals.

Even before the series began, Alas felt they would have a big problem at the slot. He was right – at least in the series opener. The 6-foot-10 Seigle and the 7-foot-1 Feihl imposed their strength underneath, tallying significant numbers in the process. Seigle finished with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block while Feihl had eight points, the same number of rebounds and three blocks.

"Our two big guys were not able to make their presence felt in our elims game with Mobiline. Tonight, I think they did a great job," said Purefoods coach Derrick Pumaren.

Derrick Brown, Noy Castillo, Alvin Patrimonio and Dindo Pumaren made their usual productions but their Mobiline counterparts evened things up by getting their own points.Surely, the Hhotdogs played much, much better together, though, as they sustained the momentum of their emphatic 88-69 win over the Alaska Aces in the quarterfinals, thus avenging their 84-89 loss of the Phone Pals in the elims.

Purefoods totally dominated Mobiline, letting the Phone Pals taste the lead only once with Don Camaso scoring the game’s first basket.

The Hotdogs scored the next 13 points before sitting on a 49-32 cushion at the half and keeping a huge lead all the way.

Pumaren vowed to put more pressure on the Phone Pals tomorrow, hoping to make it two in a row to move in the threshold of the best-of-seven finals.

"I hope we can come up with the same amount of intensity in Game Two. We have to pick up from this big win so we can put more pressure on them, hoping sumuko na sa Game Three," said Pumaren.

The Hotdogs did put tremendous pressure on the Phone Pals last night, forcing their rival to commit 20 turnovers with the team scoring 15 points off those errors.

Purefoods also crushed the boards, pulling down 54 rebounds to Mobiline’s 39. Brown accounted for 20 of the Hotdogs’ caroms in another sizzling performance also marked by 27 points, two assists and two blocks.