Duremdes earns 1st win as head coach

Tigers on the loose, stop Rain or Shine

By Arman Carandang

10/27/2008

Games Wednesday

5:00 p.m. — Air21 vs. Alaska 7:30 p.m. — Red Bull  vs. T‘NT

Kenneth Duremdes was a picture of a happy man as he walked to and fro in front of Coca-Cola bench amid a good Sunday crowd at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

Well, Duremdes achieved a milestone of sort in his budding professional coaching career as he led the Tigers to a morale-boosting 112-96 win over Rain or Shine in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

“Feels great,” said Duremdes as he met the sportswriters for the first time since he took the choachng chores from head coach Binky Favis following discordance within the team.

“Pakiramdam ko player pa din ako, pero sana magtuloy-tuloy na ito,” Duremdes said, adding Favis still had a hand in the Tigers’ second victory in six outings.

Five Tigers, led by Paul Asi Taulava, came through with double-digit performaces in a rare show of balance markmanship which helped Coca-Cola put away the Elasto Painters, whose offense crumbled in the fourth quarter.

Taulava scored 30 points and had seven rebounds, while Alex Cabagnot cut loose with 19 points, including two triples in a decisive early in the fourth when the Tigers built a 93-81 lead. Cabagnot also had three rebounds, eight assists and five steals.

John Arigo finished with 17 points, Mark Macapagal 15 with six rebounds and Telan 14 poinst and five rebounds as they sent Elasto Painters’ coach Caloy Garcia and his bewildered assistant Alex Compton wondering what hit them.

Another short but telling run (10-4) highlighted by Arigo’s triple from corner and capped by two-handed slam dunk also by Arigo, had the Tigers erecting an 18-point lead, 103-85, to virtually seal the outcome.

The Elasto Painters remained at the upper half of the standings notwithstanding their third loss in six games.

The scores: Coke (112) — Taulava 30, Cabagnot 19, Arigo 17, Macapagal 15, Telan 14, Belasco 8, Buenafe 3, Rizada 2, Baguion 2, Calimag 2, Dimaunahan 0, Misolas 0.

Welcoat (96) — Reyes 17, Salangsang 15, Norwood 12, Wainwright 10, Mercado 9, Araña 9, Laure 8, Isip 6, Tang 5, Ibanes 3, Lopez 2, Dulay 0.

Quarterscores: 22-26, 53-50, 78-76, 112-96.

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