Hugnatan sparkles for Coke in tuneup

Coca-Cola unleashed a gem of a rookie in Reynel Hugnatan last night as it outlasted Shell in a shooting match, 86-73, at the close of the PBA’s 29th season tuneup series before a big Sunday crowd at the Nene Aguilar Gym in Las Piñas.

Hugnatan, a PBA rookie who played for the Negros Slashers in the defunct MBA, was the Tigers’ source of strength, hitting the shots that mattered most to preserve the Tigers’ unblemished 2-0 card in the series that featured the 10 teams that will see action in the All- Filipino Conference beginning next Sunday.

Coca-Cola coach Chot Reyes said the win was a good gauge of his players’ readiness for the coming season.

"I hope these tuneup games would win us a championship but unfortunately they wouldn’t," Reyes said. "But of course, the series helped me evaluate the performances of my players before the regular season."

With starters Johnny Abarrientos, Freddie Abuda and Will Antonio sitting on the bench due to injuries, the Tigers struggled from a sputtering start as the Turbo Chargers took control early, even seizing a 25-15 lead courtesy of two triples by Rensy Bajar.

But things suddenly changed when Fil-Americans Rob Wainright, a late acquisition from Shell, Jeffrey Cariaso and Rudy Hatfield opened a slow but effective run that had Coca-Cola zooming to a 59-48 upperhand, 21 seconds before the third period ended.

But a triple by Edwin Bacani late in the quarter and an 8-2 exchange at the start of the last period trimmed the gap to just two points, 59-61, before Hugnatan, who had 13 points, took over with clutch baskets in the homestretch.

It was Shell’s second defeat in the series, but coach Perry Ronquillo is not a bit worried.

"We’re still in the process of adjusting but I’m happy with my team’s performance especially the new guys," said Ronquillo, referring to neophytes Eddie Laure, Adonis Sta. Maria and Ronald Tubid, who combined for 21 markers.