The Mobiline Phone Pals dyed their hair ala Asi Taulava as they made their embattled teammate a rallying point to wipe out the Shell Velocity with a shocking 79-47 demolition in a crucial match last night at the PhilSports Arena.
The Pals shattered their rivals in the first 24 minutes of play and completed the devastating rout that assured them of at least a playoff for the Alaxan PBA All-Filipino Cup quarterfinals.
Showing their sympathy to their Tongan buddy facing deportation, the Phone Pals came out all sporting blonde hair and played heads-up game throughout as they snapped a three-game losing skein to gain decisive ground on the Zoom Masters and the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their fight for the last two berths in the quarterfinals.
Mobiline held the Zoom Masters to a league all-time low output as the Phone Pals hacked out that 32-point triumph that virtually assured them of a slot in the next round.
A three-way tie for seventh place among Mobiline, Ginebra and Shell actually ensues if the Gin Kings beat the Phone Pals at the close of the eliminations tomorrow. In this case, the team with the highest quotient gains outright entry into the quarters with the two other teams slugging it out in a playoff for the last berth.
At this point, Mobiline looks a cinch to clinch the automatic slot with a plus-30 point differential to Ginebra's minus-2 and Shell's minus-27. Ginebra gains outright entry to the semis if it beats Mobiline by 17 points or more.
However, Mobiline coach Louie Alas promised to go for the win, saying they need to make a run to have the momentum which they can ride on in the quarters. The Phone Pals actually will even gain the No. 6 seeding in the quarters if they score a second straight win over the Gin Kings.
"We don't intend to relax Friday (tomorrow). Kahit lamang na kami sa quotient, kailangang laruin ng husto dahil mas magandang pumasok sa quarters na mayroon kayong momentum," said Alas.
Against Shell, Mobiline didn't relax a bit, putting the pressure on the Zoom Masters throughout.
Mobiline played its first game with Taulava cheering on the sidelines. Mobiline officials refused an interview on Taulava about his deportation case.
In Taulava's absence, the Phone Pals practically stepped up their game with Don Camaso, Bong Ravena, Gherome Ejercito, Vic Pablo and Patrick Fran all finishing in double figures.
They sent the Zoom Masters to a 5-9 (win-loss) finish in the elims despite the debut of former MBA star Dale Singson in the gray jersey of Shell. Singson logged six points, three steals and two assists in his first game in the country's premier pro league. -