Nealy, Kings rein in Tigers

Barangay Ginebra continued to defy the odds, drawing an inspired performance from import Rod Nealy as the Kings clobbered the Coca-Cola Tigers, 105-93, last night in the Talk n Text PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Challenged by the new import fielded by the Tigers, Nealy put up a triple-double performance with 32 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists as the depleted but fiery Ginebra team caught up with Red Bull atop the leader-board anew on their identical 8-2 win-loss cards.

The Kings, however, enjoy the edge over the Bulls percentage-wise since Ginebra has swept Red Bull in two games in the elimination round.

Ronald Tubid, Billy Mamaril, Egay Echavez and Jeck Chia also made an impact, helping the Kings sustain their romp minus Eric Menk, Rafi Reavis, Johnny Abarrientos and Rudy Hatfield.

"We’re playing efficient basketball. The players are improving and doing better individually," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico. "We’re really focused because we can’t afford to make too many mistakes with our key players absent."

The Kings are also missing the services of star guards Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand who are on loan to the RP team. stretched their run to four games as they repeated their 101-97 decision over the Tigers in their first meeting last March 22.

The Tigers were hoping for revenge as they unleashed a new import in Jeff Varem. The former Cleveland Cavalier, however, seemed to be still feeling his way around, struggling for only 16 points.

Coke fell to 4-6 and solo sixth place in the standings.

Ginebra opened with a 9-0 run and the Kings dominated the Tigers up to the finish with Nealy showing up Varem.

Ginebra’s "Hot Rod" became only the third player – next only to Helterbrand and Air21 import Shawn Daniels — in the season to post a triple-double. Varem actually put up some fight in the first half but lost steam and scored only five points in the second half.

Nealy had 16 points in the first half and Echavez 10 as the Kings, shooting a shade over 60 percent from the three-point arc, took a 55-44 halftime lead.

The onslaught continued in the next two quarters with Tubid and Mamaril joining hands with Nealy in a torrid attack

In search of an import with more inside presence, the Tigers sent home Anthony Johnson in favor of the 6-foot-5, 248-pound Varen, a teammate of former PBA import Julius Nwosu in the Nigerian national team during the World Championships in Saitama, Japan last year.

Varem showed some promise with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 41 minutes, but not enough to topple the Kings.