It's back to square one for the Magnolia Beverage Masters - Air21 Express basketball series. Magnolia's veterans will be lead again by Danny Ildefonso and Lordy Tugade who contributed heavily in Game 4's victory as well as their import Amal McCaskill.
The winner of Game 5 will be determined by the team who has more desire to win and who can play more as a cohesive team both in defense and offense. As I see in this series, the Magnolia Beverage Masters were having a difficulty defending the Air21 Express as they are very unpredictable, meaning every player on their roster who played in the hardcourt has the capability to score at anytime both outside and inside. That makes them very difficult to stop.
Danny Seigle is still a non-factor though he scored a dunk on the first play of the ballgame. He is not as aggressive as he used to be, which very well shows he is not yet 100%.
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MAGNOLIA, AIR21 TAKE THE FLOOR IN PIVOTAL GAME 5
Coaches point to intensity and execution as key
Source: Philippine Basketball Association
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Certainly, Jong Uichico didn't want to play killjoy. In fact, he gammely responded to every inquiry by sportswriters following the Kings' four-gamme basketball sweep of the Red Bull Barakos in their basketball semifinal series last Sunday.
The last question though reminded him of bad memories from a distant past, so the Barangay Ginebra basketball coach politely declined to answer it.
"The last time I was asked to pick which basketball team I preferred to play I got burned. The basketball team I picked eventually eliminated us. Sorry, but I won't make any picks this time. I'm not good at basketball match-ups," offered Uichico, who also refused to identify the basketball tournament and the year it took place.
But he was kind enough to provide a hint. "It happened in the semifinals," he said, flashing a mischievous grin.
At any rate though, guessing which basketball team gets a crack at challenging Barangay Ginebra for the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference basketball championship is as tough as predicting that the Kings – proud owner of a 12-gamme winning basketball streak – would finish the basketball playoffs unscathed.
And while the Ginebra – Red Bull basketball showdown was done in four basketball gammes – leaving many league followers in disbelief – the Magnolia Beverage Masters – Air21 semifinal basketball series is looming to be a potential suspense-thriller that might require an Act 7 for an ending.
The script required alterations after the Magnolia Beverage Masters – thanks to the clutch hits by Lordy Tugade and import Amal McCaskill down the stretch – turned back the Express in Gamme 4 for a 104-102 decision to even the best-of-seven basketball series at two gammes apiece.
"Dikit lagi ang laban naming since the elimination round and I don't see it getting easier the rest of the basketball series,” said Magnolia Beverage Masters coach Siot Tanquingcen moments after the crucial win.
Based on their previous battles, Tanquingcen believes the eventual challenger of the Kings for the basketball championship will be determined by passion and determination.
"The way I look at it, this basketball series now boils down to which team wants it more," said Tanquingcen, seeking a third basketball Finals appearance and second basketball championship in an import-laced basketball conference.
The intensity of the series nearly blew out of proportion in Game 4 when Air21 import Steven Thomas and Magnolia Beverage Masters center Dorian Pena traded taunts on their way to the dugout at halftime. Both were fined by PBA commissioner Sonny Barrios and warned of severe penalty if they lost their heads in the succeeding basketball gammes.
As much as both basketball teams are anticipating a deciding Game 7, it also remains a possibility that the result of Wednesday's Game 5 could be the turning point of the basketball series so the scheduled 7 o'clock duel Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum promises to be a lot more physical.
"I'm expecting the same intensity from both basketball teams. We just have to keep our focus. Whoever dictates the tempo of the basketball gamme would win it. Which means we can't play their (Express’) style of basketball," Tanquingcen said.
Bo Perasol, the low-keyed basketball coach of Air21 who is aiming to land the basketball team to its first-ever trip to the basketball Finals since joining the basketball league in 2002, is a bit more specific.
Apparently learning his lessons from Sunday's unexpected downfall, Perasol said sound decision-making and accuracy in basketball play execution would be very crucial in Game 5.
"If our last few basketball gammes would be a reflection of how the basketball series would be won, then we have to be very precise in our execution – defensively and offensively," Perasol said.
"It's down to a best-of-three basketball series so we can't afford to make costly mistakes," he added. (DBC)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Danny Ildefonso, Lordy Tugade to Lead Magnolia Veterans in Pivotal Game 5
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Danny Ildefonso, Lordy Tugade Lead Magnolia's Local Crew, Amal McCaskill Sinks Winning Basket
Magnolia Beverage Masters' veterans proved once again that they can deliver in a crucial situation like this one. Danny Ildefonso provided the needed offensive firepower all throughout the ballgame with his steady post-up moves. Lordy Tugade, on the other hand, showed his clutch shooting in the endgame with the help of Olsen Racela's well-orchestrated play.
The game-winning shot of the evening belonged to Amal McCaskill, who had been playing sub-par in almost three quarters. He started to showed aggresiveness in the fourth period with the ballgame on the line. After getting an excellent pass from point guard Olsen Racela, Amal immediately posted up Steven Thomas and let fly a turn-around shot that went inside the net.
This marked the first time that the Magnolia Beverage Masters won against the Air21 Express when Steven Thomas is around this conference. Enjoy the exciting crucial moments of the basketball game from this recorded video that I got from Youtube courtesy of captainlionheart16.
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San Miguel Beermen website. Click here.
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MAGNOLIA PULLS EVEN ON McCASKILL’S HEROICS
Beverage Masters’ import finally win one over Thomas
Source: Philippine Basketball Association
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Amal McCaskill finally pulled one over Steven Thomas as Magnolia drew even with Air21 after four gammes of their 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinal showdown at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
McCaskill pumped in a turnaround jumper off Thomas himself in the closing seconds as the Magnolia Beverage Masters eked out a 104-102 win that reduced their battle to a best-of-three affair.
Magnolia Beverage Masters beat Air21 for the first time in the tourney with Thomas in harness. For McCaskill, it was his first over Thomas in four matches.
Thomas had his big baskets at endgame but McCaskill had the final laugh after making the gamme-winning basket with time down to 1.4 seconds.
With no more timeout left, the Express could no longer map out a decent play, eventually yielding the gamme with Arwind Santos making an errant throw-in.
"It was anybody's ballgame and it so happened that we made the last big shot," said Magnolia Beverage Masters coach Siot Tanquingcen.
"Dikit lagi ang laban namin from the elimination round and I don't see it getting easier the rest of this series," Tanquingcen added. "Malaking bagay sa morale namin na nakatabla kami."
Gary David sizzled with 32 points but fouled out on two successive offensive infractions entering the homestretch.
Santos and Thomas picked up the cudgels on the ouster of David but the Magnolia Beverage Masters stood their ground, getting clutch shots from Lordy Tugade and McCaskill.
Thomas scored all of Air21's last five points, including a short stab off McCaskill, tying the count at 102 with 14.4 seconds to go.
McCaskill, however, saved the day and the Magnolia Beverage Masters avoided falling into a 1-3 hole in the series.
The two teams figured in another tight contest marred by a near brawl between the two teams while heading to the lockers at the halftime break.
The Magnolia Beverage Masters came back strong from the halftime huddle, engaging the Express in seven deadlocks and three lead changes after trailing by eight at the turn.
David and Nino Canaleta failed to finish the gamme both on account of fouls while Wynne Arboleda sat out the last three minutes of the contest due to leg cramps.
Though worse in overall field-goal shooting, the Express took the half at 57-49 as they hit five triples to none for the Magnolia Beverage Masters.
Gary David went 2-of-2 from beyond the arc in the first half and himself fueled the Express' decisive charge from a 26-all standoff at the start of the second period.
Air21 outscored Magnolia Beverage Masters, 12-8, on second-chance points and, 9-4, on points off turnovers in the first 24 minutes of play. (NC)
The scores:
Magnolia 104 -- McCaskill 19, Tugade 19, Ildefonso 19, Pingris 10, Pena 10, Racela 7, Seigle 7, Hontiveros 6, Calaguio 3, Villanueva 2, Cortez 2.
Air21 102 -- David 32, Thomas 20, Santos 15, Arboleda 10, De Ocampo 8, Se 6, Kramer 4, Canaleta 3, Cruz 2, Billones 2, Intal 0, Sotto 0.
Quarterscores: 26-26, 49-57, 78-80, 104-102.
