FINALS: Powerade Tigers 1 - 3 Talk N Text Tropang Texters
 
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GARY David never backs down from any challenge, especially one directed at the Powerade team which considers him as its leader. 

David showcased this in the week that was, coming up with back-to-back 30-plus games that not only lifted the Tigers over a dreaded foe and into the semifinals of the PBA Philippine Cup, but also another Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week citation for himself. 

It was the third such honor given for David in the season-opening conference and he became the scribes' hands-down choice after he averaged an astounding 34.5 points in the two-game quarterfinals duel with top seed B-MEG.


 
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“It was a championship feeling,” said Powerade governor JB Baylon. “You won’t believe what we are going through.”

Behind the sizzling hands of Gary David, the Powerade Tigers turned what appeared to be another forgettable campaign into one that would be etched in people’s minds, becoming just the third No. 8 seed to topple a top-ranked team in the PBA quarterfinals. With two victories over the heavily-favored B-MEG Llamados, Powerade made it to the semifinals of a PBA tournament for the first time since 2004.

And the Tigers did it in style, rallying back from 17 points down to defeat B-MEG in an overtime thriller in the second game of the series.


 
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DESPITE what he deemed as an affront to his team Gary David seemed intent on just coasting along Sunday evening. 

Then came an incident that banished a teammate and fired him up for good. 

The result was David exploding for 37 points, lifting Powerade past B-MEG for the second straight game 131-123 in overtime to crash the semifinals of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.  

David scattered 23 of his points in the fourth period and overtime to lead the Tigers' charge from being No. 8 at the end of eliminations and past the top-seeded Lllamados to arrange a best-of-seven semis duel with either Barangay Ginebra or Rain or Shine.


 
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Welcome to the Gary David Show.

David erupted for 37 points, highlighted by eight three-pointers, to lead Powerade to a classic 131-123 overtime win to knock off No. 1 seed B-MEG in the quarterfinals of the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup Sunday night at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Picking up from where he left off in his team’s 97-88 win in the first game, David played like a man possessed in the last 17 minutes of the match, hitting one big shot after another as the Tigers repeated their unbelievable performance against the heavily-favored Llamados.


 
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Powerade tries to complete a gigantic upset against top seed B-MEG as they square off in a knockout game in the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals Sunday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

The Tigers eye their second win in the row against the Llamados in the lone game at 6 p.m. to be just the third team in the history of the PBA playoffs to dislodge a No. 1 ranked team.

“After the win, there are no doubts in the minds of the players we can compete against B-MEG,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol, whose team forced a do-or-die game with a 97-88 win last Wednesday.


 
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MIKE Cortez is on a roll and so is Barangay Ginebra. 

The 2003 top draft pick continued to crank up his all-around game, not only helping the Kings stretch their winning streak to five but also earning for himself the Accel-PBA Player of the Week honors for the period Dec. 5 to 11. 

It was only the second such citation for Cortez since Jan. 2-8 of the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference, while he was still with Alaska and Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen is foremost among those glad to see him playing without the injuries that have made his career an up-and-down one the past few years.



 
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Rain or Shine showed the “never-say-die” spirit that Barangay Ginebra is known for.

The Elasto Painters clawed back from a 17-point deficit and banked on the heroics of rookie Paul Lee, Jeff Chan and Beau Belga to shock the Gin Kings, 112-105, in overtime and steal Game One of their best-of-three quarterfinal series Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

After trailing by 13 points entering the fourth quarter, Rain or Shine exploded for 43 points in the final 12 minutes and made the shots that mattered in the extra period to grab a 1-0 lead in the series.



 
Petron Blaze leaned on big shots from Alex Cabagnot and Dennis Miranda in the fourth quarter to beat Meralco, 91-84, and take Game One of their best-of-three quarterfinal series in the 2011-12 PBA Philippine Cup Friday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Cabagnot had two straight four-point plays while Miranda hit a three-point shot and a three-point play that helped the Boosters secure the win. Petron needs just one more win to meet defending champion Talk ’N Text in the best-of-seven semifinals.

Arwind Santos finished with 19 points and 12 rebounds, rookie Chris Lutz added 18 while Cabagnot dished out an all-around performance with 14 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.

 
Ginebra fan Jedfrey Calado took the Mark Caguioa kulotski hairdo to the next level, and imagines a PBA world where it’s the norm rather than the exception. The effects are rather chilling. See Picture Inside...

 
San Miguel Beermen got its first win in its debut in international play Thursday while the AirAsia Philippine Patriots will begin their campaign on Friday in the “To Be Number 1 Basketball Challenge” – a preseason tournament of the ASEAN Basketball League held at the Nimibutr Stadium in Bangkok.

The Beermen defeated the Indonesia Warriors, 76-70, in the tournament opener with Chris Banchero leading the way with 21 points. Imports Richard Jeter added 16 points while Dalron Johnson tallied 13 points and 11 rebounds.

The Warriors led, 43-37, at the half, according to the team’s Twitter account, but the Beermen, coached by seven-time best import Bobby Parks, were able to mount a rally in the third period to take the win.


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