DEFENDING CHAMPION REALTORS ROUT ELASTO PAINTERS IN GAME 1
Omolon, Yeo star for Sta. Lucia in physical, highly-emotional game
Wednesday, 07 January 2009
Just in case the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters have forgotten it, the Sta. Lucia Realtors just reminded their challengers who they're up against.
The defending champions delivered the message strongly in the form of a lopsided 101-84 victory in the opener of their KFC-PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinal series Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Nelbert Omolon scattered a game-high and personal conference-high 30 points and Joseph Yeo scored 12 of his 26 points in the third quarter, including a 3-for-3 stint from the behind the arc as the Realtors took away any hopes of a comeback by the playoffs first-timers.
With their fourth straight win dating back to eliminations, the Realtors registered their longest win streak in the conference and in almost a year and need just one more victory to clinch their spot in the semifinals.
Game 2 of the best-of-three series is slated Friday at the Cuneta Astrodome.
"Our defense stepped up tonight," said Sta. Lucia head coach Boyet Fernandez after the game. "Our goal was to contain and limit Gabe (Norwood) and Sol (Mercado) in the first half and try to limit Rain or Shine's outside shooting. I thought we really did a good job on those targets."
Fernandez was also all praises for Yeo.
He stepped up up his game when Marlou (Aquino) went out of the game," he said.
Game 1 of the series was virtually a mismatch.
The Elasto Painters kept the game close only the first quarter before the defending champions ripped the game wide open with excellent shooting and outstanding defense.
Rain or Shine's poor showing could have likely been caused again by poor shooting. Almost two weeks after being held by Barangay Ginebra to all-time franchise lows in scoring (58 points) and field goal shooting (27.3%) in a 63-58 loss in their final game in the eliminations, the Elasto Painters again struggled offensively all night. Against the Realtors, they made just 27-of-81 shots (33 percent) and managed just 10 assists.
Aside from Omolon and Yeo, team captain Dennis Espino was the only other Realtor in double digits with 10 points although the rest of the players Fernandez fielded for the night scored two or more.
Jay-R Reyes led Rain or Shine with 16 points on a 6-of-13 shooting and rookie Sol Mercado added 13, despite making just 2-of-13 shots.
Mercado and fellow rookie Norwood, who carried the load for the team in the elims, was visibly not in their elements.
Norwood, who managed just nine points, made noise late in the third period but for the wrong reasons.
The top rookie pick threw the ball at Omolon after the Sta. Lucia forward nearly swiped his head after trying to steal the ball. Norwood was called for a flagrant foul-penalty 2 which would mean an automatic one-game suspension depending on the results of an evaluation to be conducted by the PBA Technical staff.
Yeo, Mercado and Ryan Arana, who rushed in when the incident took place, were slapped with technical fouls in the bench-emptying incident which happened at 5:55 mark of the third period and with the Realtors ahead by a mile 65-47.
Yeo and Omolon made five technical free throws at the resumption of play before Yeo knocked in a 3-pointer to give Sta. Lucia a huge 73-47 advantage with 5:39 remaining the third. (DBC)
The scores:
Sta. Lucia 101 - Omolon 30, Yeo 26, Espino 10, Gonzales 8, Aquino 6, Reyes 4, Williams 4, Miranda 4, Mendoza 3, Gregorio 2, Coronel 2, Daa 2.
Rain or Shine 84 - Reyes 16, Mercado 13, Salangsang 10, Norwood 9, Tang 9, Arana 9, Isip 7, Wainwright 7, Dulay 2, Andaya , Ibanes 0, Ejercito 0.
Quarterscores: 23-17, 50-37, 85-62, 101-84.
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