Williams bucked a slight fever to produce a double-double job of 23 points and 17 rebounds while Urbiztondo rifled in six triples and wound up with 22 points for the Realtors, who clinched their sixth win against five defeats.
“We’re just happy to win again after slowing down in our last two games,” said Sta. Lucia coach Boyet Fernandez, referring to their back-to-back setbacks to Purefoods and San Miguel Beer.
Williams capped his superb outing with six assists, two shot blocks and a steal.
“Kelly (Williams) stepped up, Josh (Urbiztondo) stepped up. They really helped the team a lot,” said Fernandez.
In the nightcap, Talk n Text turned to Mac Cardona and Ren Ren Ritualo as it walloped Burger King, 115-104, to join Purefoods TJ Hotdogs in third on 8-4 (win-loss) slates.
Cardona erupted for 32 points while Ritualo poured nine of his 11 points in the third quarter when the Tropang Texters posted leads of as many as 18.
The Whoppers fell to their eighth setback against four wins.
Ryan Reyes also played with a groin injury and ended up with three points while Gabby Espinas sat out the bench with a sprained ankle he sustained in an out-of-town sortie in Surigao.
But Williams and Urbiztondo, who was plucked out of the free agency market after being left out in this year’s rookie draft, proved up to the challenge and took charge for the Realtors to thwart the gutsy Tigers.
Urbiztondo unleashed an eight-point splurge in the third period then teamed up with Williams for 16 points in the final period to frustrate the Tigers, who forced a 24-all count in the first quarter and trailed by just four at the turn.
Alex Cabagnot paced Coca-Cola with 15 points, RJ Rizada and Mark Macapagal each made 13 points while former Sta. Lucia standout Dennis Espino 12 points for the Tigers, who fell to their eighth straight loss and 11th overall against a lone win.
Earlier, American Jamal Sampson showed promise but failed to impress as he was hobbled by early fouls and a hurting back in Smart Gilas Pilipinas’ 91-96 loss to Barako Bull.
The 6-11 Sampson, a candidate for naturalization, came through with a slam at the start of the contest but made four quick fouls in the first half and finished with just four points.
Sampson, who suited up for five teams in the NBA, returned in the third period but kept on grimacing while trying to massage his lower back, forcing Smart Gilas’ Serbian coach Rajko Toroman to pull him out again.
“He’s not yet in game shape, this is probably his first real game in a long while,” said Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Noli Eala.
“He complained of his back as early as two days ago. He tried to overextend himself but unfortunately his body gave in,” he said.
It was Smart Gilas’ sixth loss against three wins in its guest stint in the pro league.
Eala said Sampson will fly back to the US next Thursday and will be back on Jan. 2 next year in time for Smart Gilas’ Jan. 6 game against Purefoods TJ Hotdogs.
Dylan Ababou paced Smart Gilas with 19 points while Mark Barroca, Jason Ballesteros and JV Casio had 12 apiece and Japeth Aguilar added 10 points.
No comments:
Post a Comment