BURGER KING FRIES BARAKO BULL

BURGER KING FRIES BARAKO BULL

6 Whoppers in double figures as Guiao whips former team

Wednesday, 18 March 2009 Source: PBA.PH

Yeng Guiao’s first encounter against Barako Bull was a mismatch with Burger King – the team he now coaches – dealing his former club a 123-110 blowout Wednesday night in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum. The Whoppers seized control early and was never really threatened even when the Energy Boosters made a desperate run in the third quarter that got them within four points. Guiao, who turns 50 Thursday, admitted there were emotions involved in the game “having coached the other team for nine years.” “But we tried to treat this just like another game we have to play,” he said. Guiao coached the Barako Bull (formerly Red Bull) from the time it joined the league as an expansion club in 2000 and steered it to three championships. He resigned from the team shortly after the recent Philippine Cup. It was the third win in five games for the Whoppers, who rebounded from back-to-back defeats. “It was an extraordinary good night for us. Everybody played well. There was no exception,” said Guiao, who fielded 13 players with 12 scoring in three or more points. Arwind Santos turned in 22 points to lead five other Whoppers in double figures, although he had to sit out the first quarter while waiting his new set of uniforms. Apparently, Santos’ two sets of uniforms were stolen from their practice facility the previous day but the team only learned about it minutes before game time. Gary David scored 18 points on a 9-of-13 shooting from the field. Rookies Erick Rodriguez and Cholo Villanueva, Marvin Cruz and import Shawn Daniels added 12 apiece for Burger King. The loss was the second straight and fourth overall in five games for Barako Bull. Import Cornelius McFadgon led all scorers with 31 points and Gabby Espinas had 25 points for the Energy Boosters, who committed 21 turnovers that netted the Whoppers 25 points. After Espinas tied the game at 11-all four minutes into the opening quarter, the Whoppers went on a 20-6 run to rip the game apart. The Energy Boosters slowly clawed their way back and pulled within 61-65 on a basket by Mike Hrabak three minutes into the third quarter. But Rodriguez hit a three-pointer and Cyrus Baguio added two more to cap a 20-3 blast as the Whoppers sealed the victory with 4:28 left in the period. (DBC) The scores: Burger King 123 - Santos 22, David 18, Rodriguez 12, Villanueva 12, Cruz M. 12, Daniels 12, Quinahan 8, Baguio 8, Arboleda 7, Billones 5, Alonzo 4, Belga 3, Cruz C. 0. Barako Bull 110 - McFadgon 31, Espinas 25, Hubalde 13, Sharma 11, Chan 8, Duncil 7, Ybanez 4, Hrabak 4, Arigo 4, Najorda 2, Holper 1, Juntilla 0, Crisano 0. Quarterscores: 33-23, 65-51, 97-70, 123-110.