Realtors storm erratic Aces

In a knockout battle between two champion teams, All-Filipino ruler Sta. Lucia Realty bested Fiesta Cup titlist Alaska Milk, 99-86, last night to stay in the hunt for a double-championship in the 2007-08 PBA season.

Joseph Yeo scored a career-high 27 points in an off-the-bench role and the entire Sta. Lucia team picked up its game in the payoff period, fashioning out a stirring come-from-behind victory before a good Wednesday crowd at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

“We just believed in ourselves and stuck with our own game despite trailing almost throughout the first three quarters. We just kept on working hard on defense, wearing down Alaska in the end,” said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez.

Sta. Lucia outlasted Alaska in a gut-wrenching game, booting the Aces out of the tourney which they won over the Talk n Text Phone Pals last year.

The Uytengsu franchise was the second team after Welcoat to see the end of the road this season. The Aces finished with a 9-10 card in the Fiesta Cup and a 25-22 overall mark in the season – down from 30-23 in the 2006-07 campaign.

Sta. Lucia swept Alaska in three head-on matches in the season, but the Realtors will be up next either against the Purefoods Giants or the Talk n Text Phone Pals with whom they’ve yet to win this conference.

“Both are great teams which swept us in the elimination round. But that doesn’t count anymore in this wildcard round,” said Fernandez, hopeful they can still salvage the last slot in the quarterfinal round.

Though struggling offensively, Kelly Williams kept on playing and finished with a double-double game with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

Yeo and Williams led Sta. Lucia’s torrid attack in the final half punctuated by the team’s 11-to-nothing closing run in the last three minutes of play.

“Yeo brought tremendous intensity off the bench. He now knows how to play defense. If he plays that way, he stays on the floor,” said Fernandez of the former La Salle star who improved his previous career-best of 24 points.

The Aces floundered at endgame, committing four turnovers helping the Realtors make that 11-0 finish.

Randy Holcomb accounted for three of those errors, finishing with a total of eight. He made only 18 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.

Lee Benson concentrated on defense and rebounding, winding up with 17 rebounds, 11 points, five assists, three blocks and one steal.