Awesome Kings rout Tigers, stay on track

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra, getting better and better with import David Noel in tow, walloped Coca-Cola, 122-85, in the most lopsided game in the league in two years, staying on track for an outright semifinals entry in the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Kings scored almost at will as they demolished the Tigers to record their seventh straight victory and eighth overall against five losses that assured the team of a playoff crack for the second semis seat.

They shoot for the automatic ticket to the semis against the Alaska Milk Aces at the close of the classification round, also at the Big Dome, tomorrow.

“We really wanted to play hard because we needed to win this game badly. We did work hard and it so happened that we also shot very well,” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

The loss stalled Coca-Cola on its bid for an outright entry into the knockout bracket in the wildcard phase.

“We took good care of today’s game and hopefully we do the same against Alaska Milk Friday. We have to get win No. 9 to ease out of a playoff scenario,” Uichico said.

Ronald Tubid, Noel David, Chico Lanete, Cyrus Baguio, Jayjay Helterbrand and JC Intal all finished in double figures with the Kings hitting at a whopping 48.4 percent clip from the three-point area and 59.3 percent from the two-point zone in fashioning out the record win.

Dominating Coca-Cola in all four quarters, Ginebra pulled off its biggest win in over 15 years.

The Tigers, on the other hand, suffered their third worst defeat in franchise history – next to a 75-122 blowout at the hands of the Sta. Lucia Realtors on Jan. 7, 2006 and a 73-114 massacre by the Purefoods Giants on Dec. 13, 2006.

Tubid, David, Helterbrand and Artadi fired at least two triples each.

David churned out 18 points, 18 rebounds, five assists and four blocks as Ginebra preserved its clean record (6-of-6) with him as import.

James Penny, on the other hand, struggled for 10 points, but had 11 rebounds and four assists.

The Kings buckled down to work early, opening a double-digit spread right in the opening quarter and going on to dominate the Tigers to the finish.

The scores:

Ginebra 122 - Tubid 20, Noel 18, Lanete 13, Baguio 13, Helterbrand 13, Artadi 12, Intal 11, Mamaril 6, Salvacion 5, Menk 5, Kramer 4, Reavis 2, Se 0.

Coke 85 - Buenafe 21, Taulava 12, Belasco 12, Telan 11, Penny 10, Calimag 7, Singson 5, Cabagnot 2, Avenido 2, Santos 2, Macapagal 1, Rizada 0, Dimaunahan 0.

Quarterscores: 23-13, 52-28, 89-58, 122-85