Games today
Araneta Coliseum
4:15 p.m.- Barako Bull vs. Barangay Ginebra
6:30 p.m.- Talk ‘N Text vs. Rain or Shine
The rampaging Air21 Express leaned on a torrid third quarter run to bamboozle the sputtering Globalport Batang Pier, 87-72, last night in the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Import Michael Dunigan had another stellar game for Air21, tallying 22 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists for the Express’ fourth straight victory and fifth overall in 10 games.
Globalport’s new import Sylvester Morgan had a decent debut but the team still suffered its seventh straight loss to further drop to the bottom of the standings with a 2-8 (win-loss) card.
Morgan, who replaced Walter Sharpe, wound up with 23 points, 12 rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals.
Down by seven at the start of the second half, 34-41, the Express scored 18 straight points while holding Batang Pier to a single point for a commanding 52-42 lead.
Air21 would never relinquish the lead from that point on.
Lending a hand for Dunigan were KG Canaleta, Mike Cortez, Nelbert Omolon and Wynne Arboleda, who all scored in double figures. Canaleta and Cortez both had 14 points, while Omolon and Arboleda nailed 13 and 12, respectively.
Willie Miller contributed 16 for Globalport, while Japeth Aguilar had 11.
Meanwhile, the Barangay Ginebra Kings look to extend their winning run to four when they play the Barako Bull Energy Colas in the first game of today’s double-header at the Aeaneta.
The Energy Colas are tied for sixth to eighth spots with the Meralco Bolts and the San Mig Coffee Mixers with identical 4-5 slates. The Coffee Mixers were still playing the Alaska Aces as of this writing.
Barako Bull is at ninth spot with a 3-6 record.
A major collision will take place in the main game with the Talk N Text Tropang Texters going up against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Rain or Shine is tied with the Petron Blaze Boosters at second spot with identical 6-3 records, while Talk N Text occupies the solo fourth place with a 5-4 ledger.
BOX SCORES
AIR21 (87)- Dunigan 22, Canaleta 14, Cortez 14, Omolon 13, Arboleda 12, Ritualo 6, Isip 4, Wilson 2, Sena 0, Baclao 0, Menor 0, Custodio 0.
GLOBALPORT (72) – Morgan 23, Miller 16, Aguilar 11, David 9, Mercado 8, Lingganay 3, Yee . , Mandani 0, Salvador 0, Adducul 0, Antonio 0. QUARTERSCORES: 13-20, 34-41, 62-51, 87-72.