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LLAMADOS BLAST IMPORT-LESS RIVALS

Derby Ace routs Barako in big rebound

By Arman Carandang

04/22/2010

Playing against an import-less cellar-dwelling team, Derby Ace expectedly ran away with a 93-80 win over Barako Energy Coffee as it checked its two-game slump in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

Lorenzo Wade sparkled all night, slam dunking at every opportunity, as he wrecked the biggest havoc on the Energy Coffee Masters, while James Yap and Niño Canaleta ably backed him up as Derby Ace ran rings around a team seemingly lacking in heart and short of men.

Making matters worse for the Barako Energy Coffee was the absence of import Sam Monroe, who missed the game as he was serving a one-game suspension due to Flagrant Foul 2 he committed in recent game.

“A game that we couldn’t afford to lose,” uttered Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio, somewhat impressed with the way his Llamados notched their third win in five outings.

“We were frustrated in the last two games, we failed to finish those games, but tonight we made sure (to finish it),” said Gregorio.

Prior to last night’s game, the Llamados lost back-to-back games despite their opponents playing without imports in good portions of the games. Last night they got some scare — but only for a while — when the Energy Coffee Masters gave their best to break Ace Derby’s vaunted defense.

The desperate Energy Coffee Masters came within 49-53 on a split free throw by Paulo Hubalde with seven minutes left in the third, but that proved to be the best they could muster as Wade and Canaleta starred in a vicious scoring blitz which restored the Llamados’ sizeable advantage at 59-49.

“The team really needs a lot of balance. We’re not one in defense, so I think if there is one aspect that we should give more emphasis on is our scoring,” stressed Gregorio, adding “they (Llamados) scored better because they (Barako Coffee) did not have an import.”

The Energy Coffee Masters, fast turning crumbling after winning their opening game over Sta. Lucia Realty last month, slid further as they absorbed their fifth setback in six outings.

“Mahirap ang walang import, but the locals, especially Leo Najorda, showed us we can play enough,” said Barako coach Junel Baculi, hinting of a big possibility of the team changing its import.

“Your import should be versatile, and our problem with our import is he can’t play at low post,” answered Baculi when asked about how his import is faring in the tournament.

“It depends now on the management. We have certain set patterns for him (Monroe) to do in the low post area, unfortunately we can’t capitalize on those. Tingnan namin what would be the right decision for the franchise,” added Bacuili.

The Llamados struck hardest in the fourth quarter when they posted an 80-64 lead on Canaleta’s one-handed slam at the break, and at 90-72 on Raffi Reavis’s basket with a little over three minutes left.

It didn’t take long for the Llamados to size up the import-less Energy Coffee Masters and a quick 9-2 tear capped by Roger Yap’s triple game Derby Ace a 19-9 lead, which snowballed later in the second quarter.

With Lorrenzo Wade converting his own steal and making a drive which both dunked in another scoring salvo, the Llamados even stretched their lead to 33-15 as their swift advance went virtually unopposed in the middle.

The Energy Coffee Masters would occasionally counter, but coach Gregorio, cautious against a long-shot team, sued for time to halt their momentum, including a 30-second time-out after Barako strung up three straight baskets courtesy of Reed Juntilla, Rob Reyes and Leo Najorda.

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