FedEx salvages win over Red Bull

Red Bull appeared to have had the quarterfinals in mind while FedEx just kept its full concentration on the game at hand.

The result saw FedEx repulse Red Bull, 92-90, last night — a crucial win that automatically sent the Express to the quarterfinals and, more importantly, kept the team in the hunt for a twice-to-beat incentive in the Samsung PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Eight.

The Thunder played a half-hearted game and had to make a decisive run in the closing minutes to have a shot at winning the contest. Alas, Willie Miller muffed a potential game-tying attempt in the dying seconds, enabling the Express to escape with the key win and the outright slot in the quarters.

Despite the loss, the Thunder are to end up the No. 1 team at the close of the elimination round Sunday. But the reigning titlist will enter the quarters minus the momentum that may spell a big difference at the start of the playoffs.

The Express clinched the fifth spot in the quarters on their fifth win in nine outings. They face the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their last game in the elims Saturday, hoping to sustain their romp to gain a shot at the Top Four with their twice-to-beat reward.

"We’re able to hang in their and I have to give it to the boys. We knew it won’t be easy because Red Bull needed the win to gain some momentum going into the quarters," said FedEx coach Derrick Pumaren.

Actually, the Express had looked headed for a breeze only to commit crucial errors in the face of tremendous pressures from the rallying Thunder, allowing Red Bull to get back in the thick of things at the finish.

FedEx nearly squandered a 91-82 spread in the 3:10 mark, barely avoiding an overtime play as Miller misfired a top-of-the-key shot in the last two seconds.

FedEx made a 15-2 run anchored by Vergel Meneses and Jermaine Walker late in the second quarter as the Express carried a 50-44 lead over into the second half.

Red Bull took control most of the first half until the combination of Jimwell Torion, Willie Miller, Tony Lang, Juliujs Nwosu and Davonn Harp ran in amaze of errors, enabling Fed-Ex to shift the tide on its favor.

Picking up from where he left off the last time out, Meneses came off the bench smoking in the second quarter, teaming up with Walker as they fuelled a fiery FedEx siege.

Meneses had 10 points in the period while Walker had six straight points, capping the run that staked the Express ahead at 50-42. Walker totalled 17 in the first half.

The Thunder narrowed the gap to what it was at the end of the opening half with Nwosu beating the buzzer with a short jump.

Working with a greater resolve to win at the start, the Express controlled the boards and shot better from the field. FedEx took 23 rebounds and hit on a 55-percent clip as against the Thunder‘s 18 rebounds and 49-percent shooting. Curiously, two teams committed 10 errors each.