.
Ababou Saves Magnolia Over Toyota
(November 16, 2008)

Games today
(Lyceum gym)
10:00 a.m. - Xtreme Magic Sing RP Girls team vs Mail And More
11:45 a.m. – Muscle Tape-Lyceum vs Smart-UP
2:00 p.m. – Oracare-St. Benilde vs Nutri C-Ateneo
3:45 p.m. - Sunkist- La Salle vs Discovery-RP Women’s team

DYLAN Ababou scored all of his 18 points in the second half to power Magnolia Pure Water to a second straight win, a 77-65 drubbing of Toyota Otis for a share of the lead in the 2009 PBL PG Flex Linoleum Cup Saturday at the Emilio Aguinaldo College gym.

The University of Santo Tomas stalwart teamed up with Al Magpayo, Neil Raneses and Jaypee Alcaraz in a fiery second half charge to turn around a game the Sparks controlled in the first two quarters.

The Wizards had now notched two straight wins in as many games tying them with defending champion Harbour Centre on top of the standings.

Toyota Otis remained winless in two starts for a share of the cellar with Pharex.

Ababou sparked a 9-3 run in the third period as the Wizards finally took control, 56-53 heading into the pivotal fourth. His three-pointer midway in the quarter made it 63-55, before the UST forward pushed the lead to its biggest at 74-65 under a minute remaining.

Earlier, Fil-Am Josh Vanlandingham put on a shooting clinic and led Hapee to its breakthrough win in the tournament with a 91-76 rout of Burger King.

The lefty 6-foot-3 shooting forward out of Pacific Lutheran College, an NCAA Division II school, went a perfect 4-of-4 from three-point range, including three straight late in the first half that paved the way for a Complete Protectors’ breakaway.

Vanlandingham topscored for the team with 14 points in only six minutes of play.

Hapee tied its victim in the standings with an even 1-1 card as Gee Abanilla notched his first win as coach of the franchise.

“He’s a shooter, but when we got him, he’s not in his best shape,” said Abanilla of his prized Fil-Am player. “That’s why we just used him sparingly to make him feel the game.

“For this game, we covered some finer points and made the adjustments. We were able to execute our transition and we were able to run,” said Abanilla of Hapee’s running game that was completely negated in the team’s 84-88 loss to Bacchus Energy the last time.

The Complete Protectors were protecting a slim 44-43 lead with 1:49 left in the second quarter when Vanlandingham suddenly caught fire.

Three consecutive treys by the Hapee rookie capped a closing 12-0 run, allowing the Complete Protectors to sit on a comfortable 55-43 at the half.

His last trey for the game with 8:03 to go in the fourth period gave Hapee its biggest lead at 82-61.

Burger King’s 88-80 overtime win over Bacchus two days ago appeared to have left the team weary as only Borgie Hermida and Rogermar Menor carried the fight for the Stunners in the second half.

Hermida and Menor combined for 18 of the team’s 20 points in the fourth period, but not enough to turn the tide to Burger King’s favor.

The scores

Hapee (91) -- Vanlandingham 14, Cruz 13, Hugnatan 13, Viray 10, Daa 8, Morial 7, Lucernas 7, Grijaldo 6, Saguindel 6, Convento 4, Espiritu 3, Olarte 0

Burger King (76) -- Arellano 20, Hermida 17, Menor 15, Ballesteros 10, Taganas 6, Nocom 6, Popus 2, Gamalinda 0, Ilad 0, Pascual 0, Tirona 0, Manuel 0, Tecson 0.

Quarterscores: 23-21, 55-43, 76-54, 91-76.

Magnolia (77) -- Magpayo 20, Ababou 18, Alcaraz 13, Raneses 10, Taylor 6, Saldua 5, Escueta 2, Mirza 2, Rodriguez 1, Banal 0, Balneg 0, Losentes 0, Pascual 0

Toyota Otis (65) -- Rodriguez 13, Cabahug 10, SEna 9, Timberlake 8, J Mangahas 6, Jazul 4, Faundo 4, Aldave 3, Walsham 2, Casio 2, Dedicatoria 2, Hayes 2, Wilson 0, A Mangahas 0, Pascual 0.

Quarterscores: 16-20, 35-38, 56-53, 77-65.

Back to top