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Red Bull ties Ginebra
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Posted on Jan 26 2006
James Penny is proving to be the wise-money choice for Red Bull.
Penny seized the initiative when the game was on the line and carried the Bulls to an 86-83 win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings that leveled their San Mig Coffee-PBA Fiesta Conference semifinal series last night at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Although nursing a fever, Penny buried a pair of clutch three-pointers that erased a three-point Ginebra lead and saved the day for the Bulls two games into the best-of-seven series.
“It’s now a best-of-five and we did well on our last best-of-five,” said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao after the Bulls bounced back from a 105-100 overtime heartbreaker in Game 1.
“I guess the only difference between Game 1 and this game was we worked a little harder and got our running game back,” he added.
The Bulls are the No.1 fastbreaking team in the league but the Kings held them scoreless, 11-0, in transition the last time out. Last night the Bulls had 17 points off fastbreaks as against Ginebra’s 13.
Penny, who was a last-minute replacement in the quarterfinals, actually clustered eight straight points in the last two minutes, including those back-to-back triples that shifted the momentum to the Bulls, 85-82, and had the Kings resorting to a prayer of a shot to send the game into overtime.
“I just had an open look and took it,” said Penny, who finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds on top of three blocks, two steals and one assist. “I’m confident with those shots because I have a very good percentage on that area even in practice.”
Despite the win, Guiao minced no words blasting the officiating.
Red Bull 86 – Penny 25, Tugade 13, Baguio 12, Pennisi 9, Torion 8, Villanueva 6, Valenzuela 6, Cruz 5, Fonacier 2, Najorda 0, Bugia 0, Robinson 0.
Ginebra 83 – Porter 30, Caguioa 13, Santos 13, Helterbrand 11, Adducul 6, Menk 6, Holper 3, Salvacion 1, Macapagal 0, Dimaunahan 0.
Scoring by quarters: 11-22, 38-33, 60-59, 86-83. (PDI)
