Asi, Tigers hand Kenneth 1st win

Asi Taulava erupted for a league season-high 30 points though playing hurt and Coca-Cola scored its first win under interim coach Kenneth Duremdes, walloping Rain or Shine, 112-96, last night in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Taulava endured a strained calf in putting in his largest output in a game in 10 months, leading the Tigers to their second win in six starts in the season.

Alex Cabagnot, John Arigo, Mark Macapagal and Mark Telan contributed double-digit outputs as they rebounded strong from a sorry 82-83 loss to Sta. Lucia Wednesday – their first game minus Coca-Cola coach-on-leave Binky Favis.

“Whatever it is, a first time is always great,” said Duremdes in his first win as a coach.

“With this win, I’m sure the boys will only be more inspired to work hard,” added Duremdes, calling the shots for the Tigers in acting capacity pending the final decision of the management on the status of Favis.

Learning from their lesson in an endgame fold-up versus the Realtors, the Tigers saved their best for last this time, mauling the Elasto Painters in the payoff period.

Cabagnot went 4-of-4 from the field, including three from beyond the arc in the last quarter where they outscored the Elasto Painters, 34-20.

The Fil-Am guard made all three triples in a swashbuckling run that had the Tigers breaking away at 108-85 from a precarious 78-72 lead at the start of the final canto.

Arigo had a highlight play in the killer attack, scoring on a thunderous jam on a fastbreak pass by Nic Belasco.

Top draft pick Gabe Norwood had his own scintillating performance that brought the crowd up on their feet as he drove past Jason Misolas and soared for a two-handed reverse slam above Mark Macapagal.

Norwood and his teammates put up a big fight in the first three quarters, engaging the Tigers through nine lead changes and four deadlocks.

The Elasto Painters faded out in the final canto, though, absorbing a third loss against the same number of wins.

James Yap limped out of the court just 10 minutes into the game but the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants hung tough, checking a four-game slump with a 92-81 win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the second game.

“Trying time for us. Already without our No. 1 point guard (Roger Yap), now we lost our MVP (James Yap) but somehow we still found ways to win,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.