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By Frank C. Calapre,
Correspondent
RED BULL stamped its class over
Alaska, 125-104, Friday to finish third in the 33rd Smart-PBA
Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Cyrus Baguio, Carlo Sharma and
Mike Hrabak combined for 61 points as the Barakos clinched their
second straight and third overall third-place finish after winning
over San Miguel Beer in the Fiesta Conference last year.
“We were so very disappointed
over our failure to reach the finals. But at least, finishing second
runner-up is already our best consolation. We felt we have
been in our best in this conference,” said Red Bull coach Yeng
Guiao, who steered the Barakos to three conference titles.
“We may have overachieved our
goal. But there are brighter sides that came in our campaign this
conference. We have improved so much, the performances of Cyrus
Baguio, Carlo Sharma and Michael Robinson were beyond
expectations. That is something that we have to think positively in
the next conference,” added Guiao, who already won five PBA
titles, three with Red Bull and two with the now- defunct Swift
Mighty Meaty.
Guiao added that with the good
performances of his wards, they are now looking forward to a much
brighter campaign in the season-ending import-laden 2008 Fiesta
Conference.
“We don’t know yet our
import, but our team consultant Andy Jao is already in New Orleans,
USA, to scout for an American import and of course watch the NBA
All-Star game,” Guiao said.
Baguio topscored for the Barakos
with 23 points and nine assists while Carlo Sharma made a
career-high 21 points and seven rebounds. Hrabak chipped in 17
points, eight rebounds and two assists.
Tony de la Cruz led Alaska with a
game-high 31 points followed by Jun-Jun Cabatu with 15 and Eddie
Laure with 12 points.
The Barakos, who lost 3-4 to
Purefoods in their best-of-seven semifinal series, posted a 63-49
halftime lead behind Baguio, Sharma, Francis Adriano, Celino Cruz
and Junthy Valenzuela.
Red Bull’s deadly five combined
for a big 49 points in the first two quarters alone, which was more
than 75 percent of their halftime output.
Aside from shooting a high 59
percent from the field compared to only 48.8 for the Aces, the
Barakos made a remarkable 42.1 percent in the three-point area by
converting eight of 19 attempts.
Leading 32-30 at the end of the
first period, Cruz sank a triple and Sharma scored on a jumper to
give the Barakos their first biggest lead, 37-30.
The Barakos, who settled for
fourth in the same conference last year, did not relinquish the lead
but instead stretched it to its biggest, 101-81, going into the
final nine minutes.
Scores:
RED BULL 125 – Baguio 23,
Sharma 21, Hrabak 17, Valenzuela 13, Robinson 10, Bugia 9, Adriano
9, Membrere 8, Cruz 8, Duncil 4, Ybanez 3
ALASKA 104 – De la Cruz 31,
Cabatu 15, Laure 12, Aban 11, Miller 10, Bono 6, Thoss 5, Quinahan
4, Cortez 4, Hugnatan 2, Bajar 2, Cariaso 2
Quarters: 31-30, 63-49, 87-77,
125-104.
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