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BELGRADE,
Serbia—San
Miguel Corp.-Pilipinas dropped another close game, this
time against perennial Serbian 1A powerhouse KK Novi
Sad, 88-85, Friday at the Sport Ecko Sportski Centar.
Showing
up with six of their regulars and five key additions in
their rebuilding program, Novi Sad played without its
imports, 7-0 center Charles Chris and point guard Jerome
Lagrange.
The
Nationals were incomplete as well, with Kerby Raymundo
sitting out the game because of a bad case of food
poisoning. Compounding matters was the exit of Tony de
la Cruz early in the second quarter because of a
strained back, leaving SMC-RP with only 10 men to do
battle against the taller, heftier Serbians.
But the
Nationals put up a gallant stand, controlling the game
three-fourths of the way until Danny Seigle fouled out
with five minutes left and SMC-RP ahead, 77-74.
The
Serbs seized the opportunity to string five straight
points, capped by a three-pointer from six-foot-nine
power forward Miroslav Radenkovic that gave the host a
79-77 edge.
Back-to-back offensive fouls against Asi Taulava allowed
Novi Sad an 84-80 lead with two minutes remaining.
Following a timeout, Mark Caguioa completed a
three-point play to cut the deficit to one. A steal in
the next play set up Gabe Norwood for a breakaway dunk
but was called for a traveling violation.
Another
steal saw
Norwood setting up Taulava for an uncontested lay-up, but Taulava
failed to convert and six-foot-10 Ilija Zolotic hit two
free throws with 28 seconds left and put the home team
up, 86-83.
Jimmy
Alapag and Renren Ritualo missed open three-pointers
down the way.
“Again,
a disappointing loss because we had the opportunity to
win, but we just couldn’t finish the job,” said RP coach
Chot Reyes, who rued the absence of Raymundo, the injury
to de la Cruz and disqualification on fouls of Seigle.
“We had
a team meeting this morning about our defense, and the
players responded by defending well, only to lose steam
in the end,” Reyes added. “Still, there’s a lot to be
positive about—Gabe’s play, our increased understanding
of the international game, our improving stamina and
conditioning.”
Caguioa
scored the last five points of the third quarter as the
Nationals took a 66-57 advantage, with
Norwood
and Ritualo keeping the Serbs at bay in the fourth until
Seigle fouled out.
The
scores:
NOVI SAD 88—Sutalo 27,
Tomasevic 15, Radenkovic 14, Zolotic 11, Pap 8,
Durasevic 8, Bunic 4, Gogic 1.
SMC-PILIPINAS
85—Caguioa
20, Seigle 19, Norwood 13, Taulava 10, Hontiveros 8,
Helterbrand 6, Pennisi 5, Alapag 3, Ritualo 2.
Quarters: 16-18, 33-41, 57-66, 88-85. |
