MANILA — Sean Anthony sizzled for 21 points including 11 in the fourth quarter to lead the Barako Bull Energy Cola to a 92-82 conquest of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum Friday. Josh Urbiztondo added 19 points to enable the Energy Cola to notch their second win in four games, thus joining Ginebra, Alaska and Meralco in a four-way tie for fourth to seventh place in the standings. Mark Caguioa led the Kings with 21 points while Kerby Raymundo and Billy Mamaril had 11 and 10 points respectively. In the first game of Friday's twinbill, rookie Calvin Abueva lived up to his college monicker “The Beast” as he teamed up with Dondon Hontiveros and Cyrus Baguio to propel the Alaska Aces to a come-from-behind 88-86 victory against the Petron Blaze Boosters. Playing in his first game in the PBA and still fresh from the collegiate wars, Abueva sizzled from the get-go to score an impressive double-double — 12 points and 16 rebounds — complementing the fiery performances of Baguio and Hontiveros who tallied 21 and 17 points respectively. Down by eight entering the fourth quarter, 65-57, Hontiveros and RJ Jazul went on a three-point shooting spree as the Aces grabbed the lead, 73-72. The Boosters regained the lead on a baseline drive by Joseph Yeo. But Hontiveros hit another trey to wrest the lead again from Petron. After Dorian Pena split his charities, “The Beast” took over as Abueva scored on a followup and then a jumper to give Alaska an 80-75 lead. But the Boosters went on a 5-to-0 run to tie the game with 3:19 left. But the red-hot Hontiveros drilled another triple, and then Jayvee Casio sank two pressure-packed free throws to hand Alaska another five-point lead, 85-80. Chris Lutz and Jay Washington answered with a basket each for Petron to trim Alaska's lead to a single point. But Mac Baracael scored on a clutch baseline jumper to give the Aces a three-point lead. With 18 seconds left, Alex Cabagnot was fouled while taking a three-point shot. Petron's starting point guard converted the first and third free throw to cut the deficit to one with 8.1 left. On Alaska's next possession, Hontiveros was sent to the line, making the first charity but missing the second, giving the Boosters a chance to either win the game or send it into overtime. Washington opted for the first choice but his last-second three-point shot bounced off the rim to hand Alaska its second straight win after two losses. Lutz led the Boosters with 20 points while Washington and Cabagnot chipped in 15 and 12, respectively. Their third loss in four games sent the highly regarded but luckless Boosters to the bottom of the standings in the company of Air21 and GlobalPort.
