Cagers lose cool on new rule; Giants win

Purefoods Tender Juicy toughened up to make a big turnaround in the fourth quarter, hacking out a 96-89 victory over Sta. Lucia Realty last night in a rugged match marred by nine technical fouls and two player ejections.

The good Wednesday crowd at the Araneta Coliseum witnessed a game which on several occasions looked like a wrestling contest, a result of a major change in the officiating applied in the 2007 Smart PBA Philippine Cup.

Hard fouls came aplenty with Purefoods’ Peter June Simon and Sta. Lucia’s Norman Gonzales thrown out of the contest for flagrant infractions.

“Ang pikon talo in this kind of officiating. But the officials want this and I’m fully supporting it. We just have to adjust with it,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“Obviously, the team that will be able to adjust early will mean success in this conference. The difference is heaven and earth in the appreciation of calls from last conference to this conference,” Gregorio added.

James Yap had a taste of this kind of officiating with the RP team in the Jones Cup but himself blew his top in a collision with Gonzales.

“First time kong mapikon, but who wouldn’t when you’re purposely hit,” said Yap.

“It’s also the first time  June Simon got mad and got tossed out of court,” said Gregorio.

The Giants gave some and took some along the way as they made a big romp in the final quarter.

Veterans Marc Pingris and Roger Yap came alive in the payoff period giving the team tremendous boost for the come-from-behind victory.

James Yap scored a game-high 29 points, including 17 in the opening period, with Roger Yap adding 16 and Pingris chipping in 14 in the game where Purefoods trailed by as many as 16 early on.

Down by 10, 66-76, at the end of the third, the Giants opened the final period with an 18-4 romp to surge ahead to stay at 84-80.