Magnolia Beverage Masters Basketball Games Updates

LORDY TUGADE-LED MAGNOLIA BEVERAGE MASTERS PUTS COKE ON THE BRINK

It's another good basketball gamme of Magnolia Beverage Masters that I missed watching. The good thing is that the team won. I don't have much comments on this so I will just give some insights for the remaining battle(s) of the series.

It's playoffs time, probably the best time that you can see the experience of the team show up against an unexperience team like the Coca-Cola Tigers. The battle will always be defense against defense as what these two teams would normally engage on.

I expect Magnolia to go for the clincher this Wednesday as letting the Tigers recover will be a big mistake. The Tigers will make the necessary adjustments and the two imports will show more aggresiveness. Danny Seigle's injury is not that serious so I expect him to contribute to the team on Wednesday.

The team is on the right track towards getting another championship. Dispatching Coke would setup a semis duel with Air21 Express, which I think we have a good fighting chance.

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Source: Philippine Basketball Association
Sunday, 13 July 2008

TUGADE-LED MAGNOLIA PUTS COKE ON THE BRINK
'Dynamite'-less Beverage Masters a win away from 2nd straight Fiesta Final 4 stint

Magnolia Beverage Masters moved a win away from clinching a semifinal berth in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference as it downed Coca-Cola, 108-96, in Gamme 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinal series Sunday night at the Astrodome in Pasay City.

Wingman Lordy Tugade scored 20 points and grabbed a career-best 15 rebounds to lead the Magnolia Beverage Masters against the Tigers, who got sub-par performances from their two imports.

Magnolia Beverage Masters, which lost to eventual champion Alaska in the Final Four of last season’s Fiesta Conference, can arrange a showdown against Air21 in the best-of-seven semifinals with another win in Gamme 2 on Wednesday in Antipolo City.

“In a short series it’s good. But it does not mean anything because we need one more win. We feel good tonight but we have to go back to work tomorrow (in practice),” Magnolia Beverage Masters coach Siot Tanquingcen said.

Protecting a 76-72 lead after three quarters, Magnolia Beverage Masters used a 17-6 run capped by a three-pointer by Tugade for a 93-78 advantage with 6:05 to play. Mike Cortez’ three put the Magnolia Beverage Masters ahead for good, 99-82, 4:37 left.

Tugade started the gamme at the wing spot with Danny Seigle sitting out the gamme because of a mild strain on his quadriceps. He shot 6-of-11 from the field, including 2-of-5 from the three-point area, and made 6-of-10 free throws.

Import Amal McCaskill also had a double-double performance of 20 points and 11 boards. The 7-foot McCaskill also helped in limiting Coke’s import Jason Dixon, who was held to a personal conference-low six points with seven boards. The 6-foot-10 Dixon averaged 22.6 points and 11.7 rebounds in the elimination.

“We tried our best to contain him (Dixon). It’s hard to stop him. But somehow, we played good defense on him and at the same time we caught him on a bad night,” Tanquingcen said.

The Tigers mew second reinforcement Brandon Dean, their fourth after Calvin Cage, Gee Gervin and Donald Copeland, also struggled with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting.

But Tanquingcen expects the one-time Arkansas stalwart to play better in Gamme 2. “May advantage and disadvantage bringing in a new import. Nangangapa pa sa system. Pero at the same time kasi coming in to this gamme, hindi rin kilala. I think may ibibigay pa because of his quickness and toughness,” he said.

Cortez came off the bench to contribute 18 points for Magnolia Beverage Masters, while Dondon Hontiveros and Danny Ildefonso added 13 points apiece. Asi Taulava led Coke with 20 points and 12 boards, while Nic Belasco added 17. (WG)

The scores:

Magnolia 108 – McCaskill 20, Tugade 20, Cortez 18, Hontiveros 13, Ildefonso 13, Pingris 8, Bono 7, Pena 6, Racela 3, Villanueva 0, Gonzales 0.

Coca-Cola 96 – Taulava 20, Belasco 17, Buenafe 15, Cabagnot 12, Macapagal 9, Catli 9, Dean 8, Dixon 6, Dimaunahan 0, Misolas 0.

Quarterscores: 30-18; 51-41; 76-72; 108-96