Game tomorrow:
(Digos, Davao del Sur)
6:45 p.m. – Powerade vs. Petron/Talk ‘N Text

IN the biggest game of their rookie lives, JV Casio was better than Paul Lee.

And Powerade, without a doubt, wanted to make it to the Finals more
than Rain or Shine.

Converting hunger into will and hard work reflecting its desire to prove something, Powerade became the lowest-seeded ball club ever to advance to the championships, trampling Rain or Shine, 107-98, last night in their do-or-die Game Seven match in the PBA Philippine Cup semi-finals at the jampacked Cuneta Astrodome.

The Tigers didn’t need another 30-point performance from scoring champion Gary David to secure their first Finals appearance since 2003. Instead, it was the guy they picked No. 1 in the August Draft – often said by skeptics as the wrong choice – who lifted the franchise in winning the series, four games to three.

Casio scored 25 points on 5-of-7 shooting from three-point land, pulled down seven rebounds, and flicked five assists to outplay Lee in their defining head-to-head duel of the conference. Lee merely finished with 14 points on 3-of-7 shooting but only had four points in the first half.

“I know in my heart that JV was the right choice for us,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol. “He’s the right fit for Gary. Paul Lee is an amazing player and being chosen as No. 2 doesn’t make him a lesser man.”

On this night, Casio was the bigger player.

Casio completed a three-point play when the Elasto Painters drastically slashed what was once a commanding 21-point deficit (84-63) in the third quarter into an eight-point ball game in the fourth, and Rommel Adducul, not necessarily one of Powerade’s best offensive player, came through with a follow-up of his own miss to make a 103-90 lead with 3:29 left to play.

The Tigers will either play Petron or defending champion Talk ‘N Text in the Finals.

“It is our time,” added Perasol. “I think the key here was getting the people to win it for us. We have players that are winners in their hearts.”

And so, the Tigers are well on track of darting their way to an accomplishment that has never been witnessed in the 37-year history of the league – notch a championship after being seeded last in the playoffs.

This will mark as the first time that Powerade – as an independent, non-San Miguel Corp. group member – has ever stormed into the Finals. The franchise entered the league in 2002 under SMC and won two championships – one all-Filipino in 2002 and an import-spiced tournament the next season.

David finished with 24 points, Marcio Lassiter added 17, Doug Kramer had 15 rebounds and 12 points, and Celino Cruz and Will Antonio contributed 10 points apiece for Powerade, aiming to complete a Cinderella finish after shocking B-Meg, the top-seed, in the quarter-finals despite having a twice-to-beat disadvantage.

JR Quinahan led Rain or Shine with 16 points, and Jeff Chan had 14. Gabe Norwood scored 13 and Ronjay Buenafe had 12 points.

The scores:

Powerade (107) -- Casio 25, David 24, Lassiter 17, Kramer 12, Cruz 10,

Antonio 10, Anthony 5, adducul 4, Vanlandingham 0, Crisano 0.

Rain or Shine (98) -- Quinahan 16, Lee 14, Chan 14, Norwood 13, Buenafe 12, Matias 10, Belga 10, Cruz 6, Rodriguez 2, Arana 1, Uyloan 0,Ibanes 0.

Quarterscores: 22-18; 52-39; 84-65; 107-98.