SMC-RP quintet loses 2nd game in Belgrade
06/17/2007
Belgrade — News traveled fast among Serbian home teams that the visiting San Miguel-Pilipinas squad is no easy picking.
Aware from the local papers of the Nationals’ 97-79 drubbing of Mega Ishrana of Serbian First Division two days ago, Division B top team KK Usce Vizura came in full force Friday, using its height advantage to subdue SMC-RP, 82-77, at the Sportski Center.
With seven holdovers from last season’s roster plus five key additions, Vizura, in deep training for its Division A debut next season, started a line-up made up of a 6-4 point guard, a 6-11 center and a trio of 6-8 wingmen in Nenad Buric, Milos Djalovic and Nikola Pistolevic.
But SMC-RP’s starting crew of Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, Kerby Raymundo, Gabe Norwood and Mick Pennisi held its ground, matching the Serbians’ firepower shot for shot as the first quarter ended with Vizura barely ahead 25-23.
RP’s second unit of Jimmy Alapag, Dondon Hontiveros, Tony dela Cruz, Danny Seigle and Asi Taulava kept the game close until the entry of 6’9 forward Nikola Kecman, who drained three straight 3-point shots, propelling Vizura to a 54-44 lead at halftime.
The Serbians stretched their advantage to 66-52 in the second half before the combination of Hontiveros, Raymundo, Seigle, Alapag and Pennisi engineered a 15-5 run that closed the gap at 71-67 going to the fourth quarter.
A defensive struggle ensued and the physicality of the Serbians reached a fierce level as Hontiveros hit a jumper and Seigle completed a three-point play, giving SMC-RP a 72-71 edge.
Baskets by Taulava and Norwood with three minutes left maintained a 77-75 SMC-RP lead before Vizura’s hard pounding took its toll.
Pennisi missed an open 3-pointer. Caguioa’s floater rimmed out.
Hontiveros and Norwood muffed open jumpers while Helterbrand and Taulava couldn’t convert layups.
Finally, Seigle took a sideline inbounds pass and let fly from 3-point range but missed, leaving the Serbians with an 80-77 lead.
“We played hard tonight, and except for that lapse toward the end of the second quarter,” said SMC-RP coach Chot Reyes. “My disappointment stems from the fact that we had a chance to win the game but we’re blanked in the last three minutes.”
Reyes rued the Nationals’ failure to convert wide-open shots.
“We gave ourselves the opportunity but we couldn’t cash it in.”
A visiting Iran national team lost to this same Serbian ball club by five points prior to SMC-RP’s arrival.
It’s uphill from now on for the Nationals as they take on powerhouse Novi Sad next followed by Montenegro, the Serbian 21-and-under squad, and the Swiss Lions.
06/17/2007
Belgrade — News traveled fast among Serbian home teams that the visiting San Miguel-Pilipinas squad is no easy picking.
Aware from the local papers of the Nationals’ 97-79 drubbing of Mega Ishrana of Serbian First Division two days ago, Division B top team KK Usce Vizura came in full force Friday, using its height advantage to subdue SMC-RP, 82-77, at the Sportski Center.
With seven holdovers from last season’s roster plus five key additions, Vizura, in deep training for its Division A debut next season, started a line-up made up of a 6-4 point guard, a 6-11 center and a trio of 6-8 wingmen in Nenad Buric, Milos Djalovic and Nikola Pistolevic.
But SMC-RP’s starting crew of Jayjay Helterbrand, Mark Caguioa, Kerby Raymundo, Gabe Norwood and Mick Pennisi held its ground, matching the Serbians’ firepower shot for shot as the first quarter ended with Vizura barely ahead 25-23.
RP’s second unit of Jimmy Alapag, Dondon Hontiveros, Tony dela Cruz, Danny Seigle and Asi Taulava kept the game close until the entry of 6’9 forward Nikola Kecman, who drained three straight 3-point shots, propelling Vizura to a 54-44 lead at halftime.
The Serbians stretched their advantage to 66-52 in the second half before the combination of Hontiveros, Raymundo, Seigle, Alapag and Pennisi engineered a 15-5 run that closed the gap at 71-67 going to the fourth quarter.
A defensive struggle ensued and the physicality of the Serbians reached a fierce level as Hontiveros hit a jumper and Seigle completed a three-point play, giving SMC-RP a 72-71 edge.
Baskets by Taulava and Norwood with three minutes left maintained a 77-75 SMC-RP lead before Vizura’s hard pounding took its toll.
Pennisi missed an open 3-pointer. Caguioa’s floater rimmed out.
Hontiveros and Norwood muffed open jumpers while Helterbrand and Taulava couldn’t convert layups.
Finally, Seigle took a sideline inbounds pass and let fly from 3-point range but missed, leaving the Serbians with an 80-77 lead.
“We played hard tonight, and except for that lapse toward the end of the second quarter,” said SMC-RP coach Chot Reyes. “My disappointment stems from the fact that we had a chance to win the game but we’re blanked in the last three minutes.”
Reyes rued the Nationals’ failure to convert wide-open shots.
“We gave ourselves the opportunity but we couldn’t cash it in.”
A visiting Iran national team lost to this same Serbian ball club by five points prior to SMC-RP’s arrival.
It’s uphill from now on for the Nationals as they take on powerhouse Novi Sad next followed by Montenegro, the Serbian 21-and-under squad, and the Swiss Lions.
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