UNDERMANNED GINEBRA TRIPS TALK N TEXT

Tubid, Salvacion, Macapagal step up for Kings
The Philippine Basketball Association website
Friday, 14 September 2007

Barangay Ginebra, minus five key players, pulled the rug from under Talk N Text, 102-100, in the 2007 PBA Pre-Season Tournament at The Arena in San Juan Wednesday night.

Ginebra got off to a swashbuckling start and watched TNT self-destruct in its fiery chase at endgame as the Kings bounced back from an 87-97 defeat at the hands of the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in the pre-season event opener four nights ago in Cavite City.

Ronald Tubid, Sunday Salvacion and Mark Macapagal carried much of the load for the Kings with Johnny Abarrientos, Eric Menk and Rafi Reavis sidelined by injuries and Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand still on vacation in the US.

Macapagal made 16 points, including clutch free throws that kept the team afloat down the stretch.

The Pals, who repulsed the Air21 Express, 137-126, Monday, actually had a chance to steal the game while only down by one at 100-101, but Harvey Carey missed a layup with three seconds to go.

After Macapagal made it 102-100 on a split from the foul line, the Pals went to Asi Taulava in their attempt to force overtime but the Fil-Tongan behemoth likewise missed his shot.

Thus, the Kings, the reigning All-Filipino champions, salvaged the game and stayed in the running for the one-game final in this pre-season event won by the Alaska Aces last year.

Ginebra pounced on Talk N Text’s lackluster start and sat on a 29-17 cushion going into the second period.

The Kings sustained their searing drive in the next quarter but the Pals enjoyed some breaks towards the end of the first half, including a shot made by Renren Ritualo from midcourt with three-tenths of a second left in the clock.

Buckling down to work after the halftime huddle, the Pals closed in at 69-76 in the third and put the pressure on in the final canto.

Talk N Text finally caught up at 89-all on a dunk by Taulava, then the team pulled ahead at 92-89 on a trey by Ritualo.

It was a battle to the finish.

Tubid and Salvacion had their clutch plays and led the Kings with 24 and 22 points, respectively. Jimmy Alapag paced the Pals with 19. (NC)

The scores:

Ginebra 102 – Tubid 24, Salvacion 22, Macapagal 16, Holper 12, Hubalde 9, Santos 9, Mamaril 8, Lao 1, Aquino 1, Escalona 0.
Talk N Text 100 – Alapag 19, Cardona 17, Taulava 16, Washington 15, Ritualo 10, Carey 9, Allado 7, Noble 4, Billones 2, Ferreria 1, Santos 0.
Quarterscores: 29-17, 57-44, 78-69, 102-100.