Magnolia Beverage Masters Basketball Games Updates

MAGNOLIA BEVERAGE MASTERS HALT RED BULL RUN ON THE ROAD: Tugade, Racela Shine Brightest Against Barakos

Without Danny Seigle to produce the needed points, Lordy Tugade and Olsen Racela took charge to stop Red Bull's run in an out-of-town basketball game.

It was a come-from-behind win with the Barakos controlling most of the ballgame until the late charge by the Beverage Masters. One major keys in winning this ballgame was the stoppage of Red Bull's main man Cyrus Baguio.

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MAGNOLIA BEVERAGE MASTERS HALT RED BULL RUN ON THE ROAD: Tugade, Racela Shine Brightest Against Barakos

Source: PBA.ph
Saturday, 03 May 2008

LIPA CITY. – Enough of the classic Red Bull endgame comebacks and giant-killing ways.

The Magnolia Beverage Masters never let the Barakos come close to pulling off another miracle rally in the stretch of a 102-95 win on the road Saturday night.

Lordy Tugade torched his former team for 22 points while Olsen Racela turned back the hands of clock to score 19 markers – on a 7-of-10 shooting from the field – for a Magnolia Beverage Masters team that secured the victory by forcing 11 Red Bull turnovers and holding its opponent scoreless in a big game-turning third period.

Until that crucial meltdown, the Barakos were in complete control of the exciting ballgame at the La Salle Centrum here.

Even without star forward Danny Seigle for the second straight ballgame, the Magnolia Beverage Masters continued their slow push on the upper half of the Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference standings, notching their fourth win in seven ballgames and somehow, easing the pain of their embarrassing 101-108 setback at the hands of the Welcoat Dragons Wednesday night.

Seigle again sat out the ballgame due to a foot injury.

The Barakos, whose last two ballgames were punctuated by thrilling comeback victories, meanwhile, fell to a share of the top spot with idle Coca-Cola, both with similar 5-2 (win-loss) cards.

Import Adam Parada led the team with 22 points and 24 rebounds but seemed too exhausted at the time the Beverage Masters were in the midst of their searing scoring run in the second half.

Red Bull thus failed in its bid to become the first team in the conference to win four in a row.

Trailing 60-68 with 5:52 to go in the third, Magnolia Beverage Masters began to make its move which Racela sparked with a booming trey that led to an 11-0 blast.

The 15-year veteran guard then capped the run with a lay-up that barely beat the buzzer, giving the Beverage Masters a 71-68 lead heading to the final 12 minutes.

Red Bull allowed the deficit to balloon to as many as 85-74, before it found its rhythm and tried to make a last ditch rally.

And they almost succeeded.

A three-pointer by Mick Pennisi had the Barakos outscoring the opposition, 15-8, in a four-minute span that cut Magnolia Beverage Masters lead to 89-93 with 1:46 left.

The Barakos were still in the ballgame, 97-92, when the scoring binge finally fizzled out, cut short by a dagger trey courtesy of Hontiveros that made it an 8-point Magnolia Beverage Masters lead.

Hontiveros also had 19 points for Magnolia Beverage Masters, while import Jameel Watkins and Mike Cortez likewise finished in double figures with 18 and 10, respectively.

Averaging 25.3 points in the Barakos’ 3-game winning run, Cyrus Baguio was held to just 17 this time. (GR)


The scores:

Magnolia Beverage Masters 102 – Tugade 22, Racela 19, Hontiveros 19, Watkins 18, Cortez 10, Pingris 6, Pena 4, Gonzales 2, Tolomia 2, Bono 0, Calaguio 0.

Red Bull Barako 95 – Parada 22, Baguio 17, Hrabak 14, Duncil 8, Cruz 8, Pennisi 6, Najorda 5, Sharma 4, Alvarez 4, Ybanez 0, Adriano 0.

Quarterscores: 28-26; 49-55; 71-68; 102-95.