Ritualo saves, lifts FedEx over Coke

Just a day after being named to the RP Champions Cup team, Renren Ritualo displayed a game worthy of being a national player last night, leading the FedEx Express to a crucial 109-106 overtime win over the Coca-Cola Tigers in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ritualo made a key steal and scored a buzzer-beating three-pointer to force the overtime and later on went four-of-four from the stripe as the former La Salle Green Archer himself clinched the stirring win that kept the Express in the hunt for an outright semifinal entry.

Ritualo actually converted all his eight free throws in the night and finished with 22 points as the Express notched their ninth win against seven losses, pulling abreast with the San Miguel Beermen at third place, just half-game behind the second-running Alaska Aces (10-7).

The Express, now hot on a four-game run, assure themselves of a playoff for an automatic semis seat if they sweep their two remaining games in the double-round classification phase against the Ginebra Kings and the Beermen.

Sta. Lucia Realty likewise kept its hope for an outright semis entry as it nipped Purefoods, 54-53, to close out its classifications stint with a 10-8 card. The Hotdogs slid to 7-10.

FedEx stayed on a roll as it rose from the grave versus Coca-Cola behind the heroics of Ritualo.

With practically everybody in the venue thinking it was a won ballgame for Coca-Cola with 95-92 lead plus possession in the dying seconds of regulation play, Ritualo came to FedEx’s rescue, intercepting a pass by Gerard Francisco to Rob Wainwright then quickly launching a trey which hit the target in the nick of time.

The Tigers failed to recover from that misfortune and went on to suffer their 12th loss in 17 games.

Wesley Gonzales scored a career-high 23 points, including two free throws that increased the Express’ lead to four, 105-101, with time down to 20 seconds in extension play.

After Johnny Abarrientos answered with a twinner on a fallaway jumper off John Ferriols, Ritualo again came to the fore for FedEx, sinking four straight charities that iced their win.

Mark Sanford scattered 47 points but couldn’t hit the shots that could have saved the Tigers from meltdown in overtime.

He went 1-of-4 from the field in the final minute.