Red Bull rallies to rip Alaska

Neither John Arigo nor Willie Miller got to show up one another in their first meeting. Instead, a league returnee in Lowell Briones made his own show, saving the day for Red Bull against Alaska Milk.

Briones scored eight of his 10 points in the fourth quarter, fueling a searing Red Bull rally as the Thunder kept their surge in the PBA All-Filipino Cup with a stirring 73-72 come -from-behind win over the Alaska Aces last night at the Philsports Arena.

Red Bull encountered a problem in its front-line rotation after losing Mick Pennisi to injury early in the game but got a big lift from its small men, especially Briones, in the payoff quarter as the Thunder scored a third straight win, thus, regaining a share of second place with the Shell Turbo Chargers on similar 3-1 win-loss records.

Briones, Ato Agustin and Junthy Valenzuela made the most on Alaska coach Tim Cone’s decision to give Kenneth Duremdes a brief rest midway in the fourth quarter, and the Thunder came back to life and went on to overcome a 13-point deficit early in the period.

But Briones, who was just a walk-in on the Red Bull camp in the off-season, proved to be Red Bull’s biggest hero as he provided the important baskets that brought the Thunder back in the game.

The Thunder preserved Briones’ heroics as Devonn Harp scored the game’s final basket pushing Red Bull ahead at 73-72 with time down to 11.3 seconds and the team put up a tough defensive stance in the closing seconds.

Alaska fell to its third straight loss following an opening-game victory over Sta. Lucia as Rodney Santos’ attempt in the last two seconds did not get in.

"We took advantage of one crucial point when they (the Aces) relaxed a bit. When they rested Kenneth Duremdes and Ali Peek, that’s the time Briones pulled it off for us," said Red Bull coach Yeng Guiao.

"Definitely, Lowell saved the day for us although I think if not for Alaska’s lapse, we won’t see the same ending in this game," he added.

Cone admitted they relaxed after posting a 13-point lead early in the fourth, thus committing crucial turnovers that allowed the Red Bull comeback.

Down by 12 at 56-68 with seven minutes left in the clock, the Thunder went on to outscore the Aces, 15-2, in the next five minutes as they surged ahead at 71-70.

Alaska regained the lead at 72-71 on a jumper by Duremdes but Red Bull would not be denied, outsmarting its rival in the closing seconds.

Harp had another double-double performance with 20 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists while Agustin added 16 points, four rebounds and two assists. Pennisi scored only two points as he took an early exit after hurting his right foot barely 10 minutes into the game.