MAGNOLIA BARGES INTO FINAL 4

MAGNOLIA BARGES INTO FINAL 4
Beverage Masters take on Air21 in best-of-7 affair
Friday, 18 July 2008
ANTIPOLO -- The Coca-Cola Tigers put up tremendous intensity and energy but seemed to forget how to shoot, enabling the Magnolia Beverage Masters to book the last slot in the 2008 Smart PBA Fiesta Conference Final Four.The Beverage Masters beat out the Tigers, 78-60, in their knockout tussle last night at the Ynares Center here, gaining the right to challenge the Air21 Express in a best-of-seven semifinals showdown.
The Final Four begins Sunday at the Astrodome in Pasay with Barangay Ginebra and Red Bull pitted in the other semis match-up."We’re tight offensively but our defense held on," said coach Siot Tanquingcen as they overcame the Tigers for a second straight Fiesta Conference semifinals and sixth semis in the last eight PBA tourneys.The Beverage Masters did struggle at the start but slowly picked up their game, winning the game without yielding the lead at anytime in the contest.It helped that the Tigers practically threw bricks in the contest.Coca-Cola shot a league all-time low of 20 percent in the entire contest and franchise-lows of 9.5 percent in the first quarter and 17.5 percent in the first half."I think it’s a result of a little of our defense and their poor shooting. We had a hand in their every shot," said Tanquingcen.Amal McCaskill, Lordy Tugade and Dondon Hontiveros played well on both ends of the court, leading the team to the semis against the Express.McCaskill said he’s well familiar with Steven Thomas’ game, expressing confidence Magnolia will emerge victorious.Tanquingcen thought it’s difficult to play Air21, believing their only advantage against the Express is their being the more experienced team.Chances are Air21 will play minus Thomas at the start of the semis Sunday as he’s been invited to attend the Cleveland Cavaliers’ training camp. His original plan was to return Saturday after attending just the tryouts for the Korean league in Las Vegas."Minus Steven, it would be very difficult but not impossible to make an upset. It would depend on how my players are going to take it mentally," said Air21 coach Bo PerasolMagnolia and Coca-Cola figured in a tough defensive battle in the first half ending in the Beverage Masters’ favor at 29-25.The Tigers trailed by as many as nine points but scored five charities in the last 20 seconds to narrow the gap to four going into the final half.Largely behind McCaskill’s efforts, the Beverage Masters pulled away in the final half en route to sending the Tigers to the season exit.Coca-Cola joined in the sideline deposed Fiesta Conference champion Alaska, All-Filipino ruler Sta. Lucia, Talk n Text, Purefoods and Welcoat. (NC)The scores:Magnolia 78 – McCaskill 18, Tugade 14, Hontiveros 14, Cortez 9, Pingris 6, Ildefonso 6, Racela 5, Pena 3, Bono 2, Gonzales 1, Villanueva 0, Tolomia 0.Coca-Cola 60 – Buenafe 22, Dixon 16, Taulava 9, Belasco 4, Macapagal 3, Dean 2, Cabagnot 2, Telan 2, Catli 0, Dimaunahan 0.Quarterscores: 15-12, 29-25, 52-41, 78-60