Vintage Alvarez fuels Fash run vs Welcoat

Rich Alvarez finally dished out the game expected from a player of his caliber as he powered Fash Liquid Power to a 65-61 victory over defending champion Welcoat Paints in the PBL Platinum Cup at the Pasig Sports Center.

Atoning for his mediocre stints in the first three games, Alvarez sizzled with 18 points, including a lay-up with 19 seconds to go in the contest that gave the Liquid Powers the lead for good.

The two-time MVP of the UAAP also grabbed 10 rebounds for good measure as the Liquid Powers notched their second victory in four games.

But it wasn’t an all-Alvarez show.

June Simon, named co-MVP with Alvarez in the Unity Cup finals by the PBL scribes, Niño Gelig and Eugene Tan likewise came through with big games with Simon scattering 17 points on an impressive eight-of-10 shooting.

Gelig added six of his 10 points in the fourth quarter to help the First Conference titlists build enough cushion down the stretch.

Tan, a veteran of many PBL wars, failed to churn out a single point but made up for this with five assists, five rebounds and the same number of steals, the most crucial coming in the closing seconds when he stole the ball from Welcoat’s Paul Artadi.

"It’s basically a team effort," said Fash coach Junel Baculi. "Everybody stepped up and contributed in this win."

Viva Mineral Water finally barged into the win column following a pair of losses as it trampled Sunkist-UST, 77-66, in the other game. The Tigers absorbed their second loss in three games.

The Paint Masters actually jumped the gun on the Liquid Powers early as they raced to a 14-10 in the opening period behind the guns of James Yap and Willy Wilson.

But Simon, a bright prospect in next year’s PBA rookie draft, teamed up with Alvarez linking both halves as the Lamoiyan franchise seized control before building a 42-30 bulge.

But the Paint Masters refused to give up as they fought back behind the troika of Yap, Wilson and Nelbert Omolon to force a 61-all for the last time before Alvarez’s basket, Tan’s steal and Simon’s two fouls shots foiled their bid.