Realtors, Giants step into finals

Purefoods Tender Juicy and Sta. Lucia Realty, stalled in their bids Friday, won’t be totally denied, both coming out composed in a do-or-die game last night to arrange a best-ever title confrontation.

The Giants and the Realtors knocked out the Red Bulls and the Alaska Aces, respectively, to advance to the 2007-08 Smart PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven finale.

Before a roaring crowd of over 17,000 at the Araneta Coliseum, the Giants drubbed the Bulls, 83-71, while the Realtors clobbered the Aces, 92-84, living up to their top seeding after topping the double-round eliminations.

James Yap erupted for 28 points while Marc Pingris came through with a double-double game with 18 points and 14 rebounds, leading Purefoods to its 12th All-Filipino finals.

Curiously, the Giants gained their 20th final overall in the 20th year of the franchise.

Sta. Lucia, meanwhile, finally landed the PBA All-Filipino finals for the first time since joining the pro league in 1993.

Coach Boyet Fernandez rotated nine men, who responded to the challenge, bringing the team to their first finals since winning the 2001 Governors Cup.

“We’ve done many firsts in this tournament we might as well go all the way to win our first All-Filipino championship,” said Fernandez.

“After all our hard work, we made the finals. We’ll do whatever it takes so as not to let this chance slip away,” said team captain Dennis Espino.

In what’s already their best performance in an All-Filipino tourney, the Realtors marked it with several franchise records, including a streak of eight straight wins, 12 triumphs in all in the eliminations, an automatic entry into the semifinals, the Game Seven victory and a shot at the All-Filipino crown.

The Realtors’ previous best finish in the All-Filipino was third in 1995 and 1997.

“This is a product of real hard work. Everything started on our second-place finish in the Brunei Cup. We kept working hard in a no-nonsense training in the US. Then everything fell into place,” said Espino.

After the series fraught with drama on and off the court, Alaska coach Tim Cone finally took his hat off to the Realtors.

“Sta. Lucia deserved it because they really played tough. We’re not a team easy to break but they broke us,” said Cone. “That’s an ultimate compliment from our organization because we don’t think there’s a team in the league which works harder than us.”

With the Sta. Lucia veterans and youth brigade playing well together, the Realtors took control practically all night, holding the lead from start to finish.

Leading by as many as 20 points twice, the Realtors faced some pressure in the stretch but back-to-back three-pointers by Denok Miranda and Ryan Reyes eventually broke the Aces’ back at 89-80.

Reyes, averaging only 5.8 points in the series, endured a sore knee as he nailed three treys and led all scorers with 21 points that went with four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Kelly Williams and Bitoy Omolon both came through with a double-double game while Espino provided the leadership and helped out with 17 points, seven rebounds and three assists.