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Petron ends B-Meg's run

Washington stars in Boosters' win

TEAM STANDINGS:
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters: 6-1
B-Meg Llamados: 5-2
Powerade Tigers: 4-2
Petron Blaze Boosters: 4-3
Barako Bull Energy: 3-3
Brgy. Ginebra Kings: 3-3
Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters: 2-3
Meralco Bolts: 2-4
Air21 Express: 1-4
Alaska Aces: 1-6
 
GAMES WEDNESDAY
(Smart-Araneta Coliseum)
5:15 p.m. – Air21 vs. Meralco
7:30 p.m. – Barako Bull vs. Talk ‘N Text
 
Armed with five consecutive victories, the B-Meg Llamados came into the game the hottest team in the league. But it was rejuvenated Petron Blaze forward Jay Washington who emerged sizzling from the get-go Sunday night.

Firing on all cylinders, Washington fired a season-high 29 points in leading the Boosters to a masterful 92-80 victory that strengthened their playoff drive in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The victory came as a perfect tonic for the struggling Boosters who snapped a two-game slide and, more importantly, moved up to solo fourth with their fourth win against three losses.

“We really needed a win,” stressed Washington, 30, who was hampered by various injuries last season. “It’s basically a die-or-die game for us so we have to give our all.”

“I feel good (shooting the ball). I started on a good rhythm,” added Washington who went 11-of-19 from the field aside from hauling down nine rebounds.

Eddie Basden backstopped Washington with 22 markers, half of them coming in the first quarter, Denok Miranda added 10 while Chris Lutz and Joseph Yeo had eight apiece for the Boosters.

Marqus Blakely, who went scoreless in the second canto, got his game going in the second half to finish with 28 points while James Yap had 15 markers and Rafi Reavis added 12 for the erstwhile-surging Llamados, who dropped to second spot with a 5-2 record.

“We did a good job especially defensively,” stressed Petron Blaze coach Ato Agustin. “Si J-Wash naman, binuhos niya lahat.”

“Yung last two games namin versus Barako and Ginebra, niremind ko sila na we need to finish this game strong. Hindi na pwede mangyari yung nangyari na bumigay kami in the last few minutes,” added Agustin, referring to their two consecutive defeats.

Trailing 29-31 early in the second period, Washington led a fiery Boosters charge as he uncorked 11 points, spiked by two treys, in Petron’s 19-7 onslaught that gave them a 50-41 going into their dug-out.

Blakely, however, came alive in the third as he asserted himself offensively, leading a strong Llamados surge capped by his transition slam that pulled B-Meg to just 57-61.

But Miranda, Yeo and Basden took turns in keeping the Llamados at bay, dropping a 14-5 counter-attack that put themselves comfortably ahead 75-61 heading into the final canto.

Behind Reavis and Blakely, the Llamados threatened at 76-82 but that proved to be their last hurrah as Washington drilled another trey that virtually sealed the deal with over four minutes left.

Earlier, Rain or Shine, with its locals steeping up big, cruised past Barako Bull 100-90, a win that put them ahead of the 10-team pack with a 6-1 mark.

Jeff Chan clustered a team-best 19 points while Gabe Norwood had 15 and Jireh Ibanes 11 for the Elasto Painters.

Prolific LeRoy Hickerson, alternately hounded by Norwood and Ibanes all throughout, was limited to just 26 points as the Energy saw their two-game winning run snap and, in the process, absorb their third setback against three wins.
 
 
 
The scores:
 
First Game
 
RAIN OR SHINE 100 – Chan 19, Cornely 18, Norwood 15, Ibanes 11, Buenafe 9, Cruz 6, Tang 6, Quinahan 6, Lee 4, Belga 4, Matias 2, Jaime 0.
 
BARAKO 90 – Hickerson 24, Kramer 16, Najorda 12, Allado 8, Miller 7, Cruz 6, Cervantes 4, Sharma 4, Vergara 3, Tubid 3, Pennisi 3.
 
Quarterscores: 30-27, 57-43, 76-59, 100-90
 
Second Game
 
PETRON 92 - Washington 29, Basden 22, Miranda 10, Lutz 8, Yeo 8, Santos 7, Cabagnot 6, Pena 2, Hontiveros 0, Ildefonso 0.
 
B-MEG 80 - Blakely 28, Yap 15, Reavis 12, Simon 9, Urbiztondo 8, Pingris 4, Intal 2, De Ocampo 2, Barroca 0, Villanueva 0.
 
Quarters: 23-23, 50-41, 75-62, 92-80