Barako Bull downs Shopinas.com
Game today
Victorias City
6 p.m.- Brgy. Ginebra vs. Powerade
The Barako Bull Energy started slow before pulling away in the second quarter for an easy 96-78 win over sister-team Shopinas.com Clickers last night in the 37th PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.
It was Barako Bull’s third straight win, improving their record to 3-1 (win-loss) while dealing Shopinas.com its fourth straight loss in as many games.
Fresh from an impressive 100-86 win over the defending champions Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, the Energy surprisingly struggled against the lowly Clickers early in the game and trailed by two points at the end of the first period, 16-18.
Barako Bull started to get its game going in the second and was already up by a wide margin at the bend, 50-33.
Tension flared up in the 9:57 mark of the second period when Shopinas.com’s Homer Se charged to the Barako Bull bench to confront head coach Junel Baculi. Se and Baculi had figured in on-court trash talk before the former tried to attack the latter.
A fuming Se was blocked by several Barako Bull players. Se fell on the floor after he was shoved by Dorian Peña.
When the smoke cleared, Se and Peña were both thrown out. Se was slapped with his second technical foul for second motion while Peña was charged with a flagrant foul-penalty two infraction. Baculi was slapped with a technical foul.
The third quarter saw the Energy lead by as many as 30 points.
The Energy had five players scoring in double figures with Sunday Salvacion leading the way with 14 points.
BOX SCORES
BARAKO (96)- Salvacion 14, Miller 13, Najorda 12, Arboleda 12, Allado 11, Maliksi 9, Artadi 7, Avenido 6, Pennisi 4, Ababou 3, Sorongon 2, Salvador 2, Pena 1.
SHOPINAS.COM (78) – Ritualo 15, Hubalde 14, Jazul 10, Menor 10, Espiritu 9, Mirza 8, Canta 4, Duncil 4, Sena 3, Canlas 1, Ilad 0, Hermida 0, Se 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 16-18, 50-33, 74-48, 96-78
