Powerade outguns Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines - Starting life minus Asi Taulava, Powerade (formerly Coca-Cola) shifted to a sleek running game on its way to a 111-103 victory over Rain or Shine in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

Gary David, last season’s scoring champion with an average of 18.2 points an outing, picked up from where he left off, firing 25 points to lead the newly overhauled Tigers team to an auspicious debut in the league’s 36th season.

Mark Macapagal, Rob Reyes, Chico Lanete and William Antonio added at least 10 points each for the Tigers who outran and outgunned the supposedly younger and quicker rivals – the very team that eliminated them in knockout matches in both the Philippine Cup and Fiesta Conference last campaign.

“We committed ourselves to that kind of game,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol of the sleek running game they used in beating the Elasto Painters.

A team which averaged only 12.4 fast break points last season, Powerade made it almost double versus Rain or Shine in pushing the ball at every opportunity.

“That’s by design. I wanted that philosophy. Everybody should be in line with that,” said Perasol, stressing they would now be a run-and-gun team.

Macapagal went 4-of-6 from the three-point area and finished with 19 points, three assists and two rebounds while new recruit Reyes, and returning players Lanete and Antonio chipped in 10 points each.

Curiously, Larry Rodriguez, a transferee from Coca-Cola, paced Rain or Shine with 23 points that went with 10 rebounds, three assists and two steals against two turnovers.

Doug Kramer, another new acquisition from Air21, contributed a career-high 19 points while main men Gabe Norwood and Sol Mercado combined for 31 points, 12 rebounds, nine steals and eight assists.

Rain or Shine sorely missed the services of JayR Reyes who was down with a heel injury.

David buckled down to work early, putting in 13 points in the first quarter, and Powerade seized the initiatives right away, taking the half at 60-53.

Talk n Text picked up its game in the second quarter behind its second unit and sustained the heat in the final half en route to an 87-76 win over title-holder B-MEG Derby Ace in the nightcap.

Jared Dillinger put in a team high 18 points while Harvey Carey made 17 points and the same number of rebounds as the Texters overcame the Llamados in a highly physical game marred by a grappling foul by Ali Peek on Rico Maierhofer that triggered a commotion in the third quarter.

“It’s like a gang war out there,” said TnT coach Chot Reyes.

The Tigers sustained the heat in the final half, settling the outcome of the game as they erected a 107-92 lead with two minutes left to play.

Powerade, featuring two rookies in Sean Anthony and Jai Reyes and three veteran recruits in Rob Reyes, Renren Ritualo and Eddie Laure, is out to improve on a seventh place finish in the last all-Filipino tourney.

Anthony, the No. 6 pick from McGill University, contributed 12 rebounds, six points and four assists.