Tigers halt Chargers

Coca-Cola played a bit relaxed after its 110-82 rout of Airfreight 2100/FedEx Tuesday but still proved too much for Shell as the Tigers made it two in a row with a 78-70 drubbing of the Turbo Chargers last night in the Samsung PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Astrodome.

The Tigers neutralized Sedric Webber in the second half and enjoyed more luxury on the disqualification on fouls by Askia Jones with 4:09 left to play as coach Chot Reyes and his boys stayed on a roll since winning third-place honors in the first conference.

The Turbo Chargers, meanwhile, suffered a second straight loss in the conference and, curiously, their 10th in their last 11 games dating back to the previous tournament.

"We’re expecting a tough game and that’s what we got," said Reyes, who incidentally, enjoyed his first 2-0 start in a tournament since the 1995 Governors Cup when he was still sitting on the Purefoods bench.

"Lagi talaga kaming hirap sa Shell. Shell is a kind of team which gives us a problem. They don’t have a dominant player. Halos lahat pareho ang laro, puro shooters," Reyes added.

In the second game, Talk N Text also scored a second straight win with a come-from-behind 96-90 victory over Airfreight 2100/FedEx.

Renren Ritualo sizzled with seven three-pointers in the first half but was kept silent in the second half as FedEx stayed winless in two starts.

With Jones taking the exit, the Turbo Chargers actually tried to make an effort to salvage the game, coming within six at 67-73 on a five-point binge by Webber.

An offensive foul by Poch Juinio on Webber gave Shell an opportunity to come closer but Jerry Esplana missed a jumper from the left quartercourt and Coca-Cola practically settled the outcome of the game with a triple from Hale.

Protecting only a 44-40 lead at the half, the Tigers also called on Hale as they made a decisive third-quarter run to open up a 59-48 advantage.

The Tigers settled for a 62-54 lead at the end of the third before making another run at the start of the fourth to post their biggest lead in the game at 68-56.