Knights rip Lakers, cop last berth

Defending champion Andok’s San Juan shackled FedEx Laguna with a resolute defense in the second half as it pulled off a 93-81 victory yesterday to clinch the last semifinal berth in the first phase of the 2001 MBA season at the San Juan Gym.

Former Pasig Rizal Pirate Gilbert Castillo dished out his best performance so far as a Knight as he came away with 18 points and seven rebounds to power the hosts to the victory that more than made up for their 93-110 loss to the Negros Slashers last Sunday.

A pair of do-or-die semifinal matches start tomorrow with the LBC Batangas Blades, the elimination round topnotchers, taking on the Knights at the La Salle Gym in Lipa City and the Slashers battling the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems at the University of St. La Salle Gym in Bacolod City.

The Knights actually struggled in the early going but put their act together at resumption of play before cashing in on the ouster of Laguna’s top gunner Jeffrey Flowers in the fourth.

Rafi Reavis, Omanzie Rodriguez, Mike Otto and Ferdinand Rodriguez put up a tough defense that forced the 6-foot-10 Flowers, who had 15 points, out of his comfort zone in the shaded area.

The Lakers had to rely on Chris Clay who did deliver with 24 points but outside of Flowers’ output and Richard Melencio’s 14-point production, no Laker churned out a double-figure score. And with limited options in offense, the Lakers failed to overhaul a double-digit deficit and played catch up the rest of the way.

Hammered and shackled all-game, Flowers became frustrated and failed to control his temper, drawing a technical foul for elbowing Otto after complaining a looseball foul called against him in a rebound scuffle with Reavis late in the opening quarter.

Flowers settled down in the second half but was again slapped with a technical on another elbow foul off Ferdinand Rodriguez that led to his ejection.