Solid games net Hugnatan, Cardona week's top honors

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska’s Reynel Hugnatan and Mark Cardona of Talk n Text dished out a pair of solid games in the week to propel their respective teams to victories and bag the KFC/Accel-PBA Press Corps’ Co-Players of the Week honors for the period Oct. 19 to 25.

In that span, the Aces and Tropang Texters racked up two wins each to keep their unbeaten slates and retain their respective 1-2 standings in the PBA Philippine Cup.

The 6-foot-4 Hugnatan, who dominated the paint, averaged 17 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists, while the 6-foot Cardona used a combination of inside-and-outside moves to norm 20.5 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 steals.

“We’ve made a concerted effort to get Reynel the ball in the post and it is paying off,” said Aces coach Tim Cone of Hugnatan, who had 14 points and four rebounds in a 100-79 win over Coca-Cola last Friday and followed that up with 20 and eight in a 105-96 victory over Barangay Ginebra in their battle for the solo leadership last Sunday.

“His post work and versatility is a real matchup nightmare for other teams.”

For TNT coach Chot Reyes, Cardona pouring in 16 points in a 103-70 demolition of Smart Gilas and 25 in a 100-83 triumph over Sta. Lucia Realty is good.

What pleases the mentor more, however, is the Mandaluyong native’s continuous and steady absorption of the team concept that made him shed his former ball-hogging ways.

“I think for the first time since he came to the league he’s not in the top 10 in turnovers,” said Reyes.

“And he gets his points now with fewer shots,” he added, “signs of his gaining maturity as a player.”

Cardona prefers to look at it in a slightly different way. “I was able to earn scoring title last year so I want to try something new in my game, get my teammates more involved in offense and improve on my defense ,” said the 27-year-old Cardona.