PBA: Giants beat Beermen, 105-90, to rule preseason games

GMA News
09/28/2007 | 10:03 PM

The Purefoods Chunkee Giants ruled 2007 PBA Preseason Tournament with a 105-90 rout of the San Miguel Beermen in their one-game final on Friday at The Arena in San Juan.

According to a PBA statement, the Giants started strong and sustained a steady pace in whipping the Beermen to complete a five-game sweep in the preseason event.

FIBA Asia Championship veterans James Yap and Kerby Raymundo combined for 39 points with Peter June Simon, Chico Lanete, Jondan Salvador, and Mark Pingris having their significant contributions in the title-clinching win.

"We're the preseason champions, but I think the only thing we've achieved is the mindset knowing that we can compete with the best of them," Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said. "This didn't translate to top-seeding in the season proper, but we're going to war with great confidence."

The youthful Purefoods mentor tried to downplay their achievement, pointing out that the Alaska Aces, the 2006 preseason winner, didn't do well in the All-Filipino proper.

To Gregorio, San Miguel is still the team to beat in the 2007-08 campaign, which starts on October 14 at the Araneta Coliseum.

"San Miguel is a super power," Gregorio said. "It has a talented roster of 15 players all starter material for the other teams. To me, they're up there with Talk 'N' Text, with Barangay Ginebra, and with Alaska completing the big four."

"Ang problema lang nila sa ngayon eh nagkakapaan pa sila on the entry of new players," Gregorio added. "Kami medyo may chemistry na dahil mas maaga kami nagsimulang mag-training."

Getting an early training, Gregorio said, proved to be their biggest reward in winning the preseason tourney.

"Kinakabahan lang ako baga sobrang aga namin mag-peak. That's why I intend to taper off on our training in the next two weeks," Gregorio said.

The Giants towered above the Beermen, completing a sweep after topping Group B in the eliminations with victories over the Barangay Ginebra Kings, the Talk 'N' Text Phone Pals, the Welcoat Dragons, and the Air21 Express.

Yap, Raymundo, Simon, Lanete, Salvador, and Pingris each scored double-digit points, while Enrico Villanueva and Danny Ildefonso led the Beermen with 14 and 13 points, respectively.

The scores:

Purefoods (105): Yap J. 23, Raymundo 16, Simon 15, Lanete 14, Salvador 10, Pingris 10, Adducul 5, Evangelista 4, Sanz 0, Yee 0
San Miguel (90): Villanueva E. 14, Ildefonso 13, Fonacier 11, Gonzales 10, Hontiveros 9, Villanueva J. 7, Tugade 6, Calaguio 6, Wilson 4, Racela 2, Seigle 2, Espinas 2.
Quarterscores: 30-20, 50-38, 80-63, 105-90