MANILA: The San Miguel Beermen outclassed the Air21 Express, 100-86, Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum in the PBA Philippine Cup to join three other teams at the top of standings with a 1-0 card. Dondon Hontiveros and Arwind Santos combined for 43 points as the SMB veterans nearly toyed with the rookie-laden Air21 led by Rabeh Al-Hussaini. Jay Washington chipped in with 14 points for San Miguel, which led by as many as 19 points several times, the last at 100-81 in the game's final minute. Wesley Gonzales led Air21 with 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field. Al-Hussaini, a former member of the Philippine-Smart Gilas team and was the No. 2 pick in the Rookie Draft, scored 16 points in his first game in the PBA. Top rookie pick, Nonoy Baclao, didn't play for Air21 as he showed up in street clothes after hyper-extending his knee in a tune-up game against Alaska. In the first game of the double-header, the Alaska Aces zapped the Barako Bull Boosters, 88-64, for their first win in the all-Filipino conference. Joe DeVance spearheaded Alaska's scintillating offense, scoring 24 points on top of 12 rebounds. LA Tenorio added 18 markers while Sonny Thoss and Cyrus Baguio chipped in with 11 each. The Aces started cold and trailed the Boosters, 14-18, at the end of the first quarter. But the PBA 2010 Fiesta Conference champions quickly put on the heat in the second quarter with a 13-2 salvo to take the half at 35-34. There was no stopping the Aces from then on as they dominated the league's perennial cellar-dweller, going on a 16-2 run in the third period to seize control of the game en route to their first win in the conference. New acquisition Sunday Salvacion led Barako Bull with 22 points while Mark Isip chipped in 14 markers. Playing his first game in the PBA for the Boosters, rookie Hans Thiele had 12. The Boosters built an early 10-0 lead and led by as many as 12 points, 15-27, as the Aces appeared at first to be suffering from a bad championship hangover. Alaska coach Tim Cone could not hide his frustration at his team's tepid start. “That first half, I hope we don't ever see that again for the rest of the conference,” he said.
