“I read in the internet that we have no chance in hell of winning against B-Meg,” said David, who refused to mention who said it and where he saw the post after the Tigers stunned the Llamados in overtime, 131-123, Sunday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The win propelled Powerade to the best-of-seven semifinal series starting Jan. 4 against the winner of the three-game quarterfinals between Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine.
The ROS Painters lead the series after posting a gripping 112-105 overtime win over Ginebra.
The Elasto Painters will try to end the series when they face the Kings in Game 2 Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo City.
The 6-foot-1 David, the leading scorer during the elimination round with 20.79 points a game, torched the B-Meg defense with 37 points, 10 of which came in the extra five-minute period highlighted by two booming three-pointers.
David actually made eight triples, including one near the end of regulation that tied the score at 115-115, which forced OT.
“I just want to help the team win. I was struggling early, but was fired up when that fight happened,” David said, referring to the altercation when teammate Celino Cruz was ejected with 7:12 to play in the third period after elbowing B-Meg’s Josh Urbiztondo in the chest.
Cruz charged at Urbiztondo after the latter taunted him, but was restrained by B-Meg forward Marc Pingris. It was David who went after Urbiztondo but was pacified by teammates as well as B-Meg coach Tim Cone.
Before that incident, David, who had 32 points in the Tigers’ 97-88 win over B-Meg that stretched the series to sudden-death, was struggling with only nine points.
“I know that I can count on him, I told him don’t foul out since he had five fouls. I need him inside,” Powerade mentor Bo Perasol said. “He’s the one who salvaged the game for us. Every player made their contribution but the biggest contribution came from him.”
Games on Wednesday
(Ynares Sports Center, Antipolo City)
5:15 p.m. — Ginebra vs Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. — Meralco vs Petron
source: mb.com.ph
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