Se makes career-high, but Air21 losses

by Josef Ramos
Sunday, 20 July 2008 (452 Views, 26 Comments)

Air21 fought valiantly in the early going but felt the absence of import Steve Thomas, as the Express suffered an 87-113 loss against the Magnolia Beverage Masters Sunday evening at the start of semifinals of 33rd PBA Fiesta Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

6-foot-5 bruiser Homer Se tried his best to fill the spot vacated by import Steve Thomas by scoring a career-high 31 points on 12-of-21 shooting in the field in addition to his seven rebounds but wasn’t enough to pull some upset.

“It was really so hard playing without an import, but at least we tried,” said Se. “We are hoping when Steve retuns tomorrow, it would lead us to new scenario.”

Thomas, who averaged 23.4 points per game, 16.6 boards and 3.9 assists in the 18 games elimination round, is expected to comeback to the Express roster on Monday morning after a brief stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ summer camp.

“The local players did their part and It was really hard playing without your import. We are expecting when Steve (Thomas) returns tommorow, it will be a different game on Wednesday. We must tie it at 1-1,” said Air21 mentor Bo Perasol.

Se’s previous career-high was 22 points in a 122-106 loss against the Sta. Lucia Realtors last Philippine Cup.

Despite the absence of Thomas, Air21 did not let Magnolia to take the win away convincingly in the first half.

The hard-fighting Air21 Express were just down by 31-26 in the first period and 50-46 at halftime break before the Magnolia Beverage Masters outplayed them in the last two quarters of action (27-13 and 36-28) to get the win.

Playmaker Egay Billiones had 13 points off the bench, while MVP contender Arwind Santos delivered 12 points and 10 rebounds. Gary David and Ranidel De Ocampo finished with nine and eight points, respectively, for the Express.

Despite Air21’s 19-10 fast break points edge in the game, Magnolia stayed ahead in the total field goals percentage, 45-of-91 (49.5%), against Air21, 33-of-83 (39.8%). The Beverage Masters got 25 second chance points, while the Express got only 10.

Without his counterpart, Amil McCaskill made his presence felt in the paint by tallying in 34 points along with 12 rebounds and two block shots to lead Magnolia to its first win in the best-of-seven semifinals series.

Individual Scores:

Magnolia (113) - McCaskill 34, Tugade 22, Hontiveros 11, Racela 10, Pena 10, Pingris 6, Ildefonso 6, Bono 4, Gonzales 3, Calaguio 3, Eman 2, Cortez 2, Villanueva 0.

Air 21 (87) - Se 31, Billones 13, Santos 12, David 9, De Ocampo 8, Canaleta 7, Arboleda 5, Kramer 2, Cruz 0, Intal 0, Espinas 0, Sotto 0.

Quarter Scores: 31-26, 50-46, 77-59, 113-87

Posted in News

Comments(26)

airwind22 Sunday, 20 July 2008 at 10:31 pm

very disappointing….

sayang all important game 1 pa tayo natalo…

medyo nadismaya talaga ako kau steve…

sabi nga ni richard del rosario kanina, dapat mahiya si Steve at bumawi sa mga susunod na games…

game 1 pa lang toh guys, bawi nlng tayo…
-=311=- Sunday, 20 July 2008 at 10:39 pm

kaya nga wat if matalo tayo sa MBM? and ang dahilan ay game 1? sayang diba?
neil Sunday, 20 July 2008 at 10:42 pm

tama, i was disappointed kasi si homer gumawa ng husto pero di naman gumana sana si David at Santos, different story sana… kung tatlo silang pumutok or even KG and Ranidel pa sana… pero none the less, you showed intensity sa first half kaya may nakita pa rin akong dahilan para maging masaya… naubusan nga lang, tska bumulusok na yang si higanteng McCaskill na yan…

Steve, prove your worth, give us 4 wins out of the next 5 games the most within this series.. Pag kasi umabot ng game 7, medyo tagilid tayo kasi experience ng magnolia ang gagamitin nila…

Ayokong ma-sweep tayo ng Magnolia, please lang… sayang ang lahat kapag nagka ganun… I trust u guys, bawi tayo, play your A-game this series… Championship, here we come!…

God bless us all!
airwind22 Sunday, 20 July 2008 at 10:52 pm

we give you the chance steve…

please we need you as a team…

you were the reason why we emerged # 1

prove it to us 1 more time!!!
-=311=- Monday, 21 July 2008 at 6:49 am

dapat bumawi si steve sa atin!!
RRV Monday, 21 July 2008 at 8:41 am

Great job, Homer Se! Bawi na lang tayo sa wednesday. Dapat magstep-up pa ang mga locals natin especially to Arwind Santos. Ipakita mo na karapatdapat kang maging MVP
apr_becham of cdo Monday, 21 July 2008 at 9:47 am

we need to win next game in order for us to tie…
then next game dapat panalo ulit para mas madali natin matatalo ag MBM…
mine Monday, 21 July 2008 at 11:46 am

maganda pa rin naman ung start natin, akala ko nung una my chance n manalo tayo sa game kasi nung 1st half d tayo nagpaiwan at lumalamang p tayo..
good start for arwind kso biglang nawala nung 2nd half kala ko pa naman sya ang magdadala sa team kgabi.
pero kahit talo at least nagawa nlang lumaban khit walang import, d tulad ng redbul na mula umpisa naiwanan..sbi nga ng mga commentator, sayang ung game kc ngpakita ang express ng intensity at pwedeng masabi na pede silang manalo..
anyway, goodluck na lng sa nxt game,.bawi tayo!!! go for the finals!!!
Bawi steve thomas!
murdoc Monday, 21 July 2008 at 1:09 pm

Sayang yung game 1 but the whole team made it through their last breath and kick. They need to win at game 2 to make it square one. Without import is a big difference talaga, Mr. Steve (Gori) Thomas bawi ka naman sa susunod na game, prove your A-game every single game.

To Mr. Arwind / Mr. Gary:

Where’s the magic and the prolific scoring? Parang nawala kahapon sa laro, although I didn’t watch the game, pero parang na-shy ang mga gunners ng Air21 not like Homer Se who showed sterling performance. But still, hats off ako sa inyo guys pinakita nyo na hindi kayo basta basta papatalo sa bawat laro. Keep in mind that this is the big shot for the first ever championship for the ballclub.

Go Air21.
Go Arwind (start charging king tamaraw)
Go Gary (give 100% pure power)
Go Ranidel (show you towering shots)
Go KG (push with your poetry slam and scoring)
Go Winnie (revive your run and gun tactics)
Go Steve (Gori of the team Air21)

Good luck to the next game!
borodong Monday, 21 July 2008 at 5:07 pm

i feel bad kasi la tayo import but still lumalaban nman tayo,sayang naubusan ng lakas ang team.for the locals nman i know that they can do it.lakas pa rin tayo we win this series guyzz we trust the team.sna bumulusok c arwind at gary.go air21.god bless…..
noname Monday, 21 July 2008 at 7:57 pm

ano balita kay steve? andyan na ba?…
-=311=- Monday, 21 July 2008 at 8:03 pm

uu noname!!
murdoc Monday, 21 July 2008 at 9:39 pm

311, ibig sabihin fire powered na ulit ang Air21 this coming Game 2?!
airwind22 Monday, 21 July 2008 at 9:42 pm

Arwind’s efforts was not enough to lift the team in the 1st game also Gary’s…

siguro dala na rin ng pressure of being a first timer in the semis…

just do your job guys, we have faith!!!

GO GO GO King Tamarraw

GO GO GO EXPRESS!!!
-=311=- Monday, 21 July 2008 at 10:05 pm

yup murdoc, sa game 2 magsisimula ang totoong laban!!
LIBON Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 6:19 am

Babawi tayo sa GAME 2, Steve Thomas do all your best.
idolArwind Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 9:09 am

mga tol mahaba pa naman ang series eh….
ang ganda ng paghahanda ng air21 express sa semifinals yun nga lang import less tayo… cgurado ako na sa game 2 babawi tayo at cla nman ang tatambakan natin..kac may team work tayo at lalong nagpalakas ang import natin na c steve thomas…
sana ganun pa rin ang laruin ni homer se at tulungan sana cia sa scoring nla gary,arwind,ranidel,kg,at the rest of the team…..
i2 na ang semifinals para saan pa ang pinaghirapan natin kung mata2lo lang tayo d2…
GALINGAN NYO TEAM………..
AIR21 EXPRESS FIGHT3X………..
GO FOR THE CHAMP……….
neil Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 10:22 am

Si homer ang naging import natin last game, 31 points pa, eto talaga yung twists kung bakit tayo natalo:

-una, walang import
-walang makabantay kay McCaskill
-Homer Se stepped up and filled the shoes of Steve, so meaning para tayong may import last game pero kulang sa scoring or support from others, esp. Arwind, KG, and Gary… Si Ranidel, nagsacrifice sa depensa.
-during the dying minutes, ang lamya ng laro, pinasok yung mga bangko ng Magnolia pero nadaig pa nila tayo dahil may intensity sila, ni ayaw pa nga tayo paiskorin kahit sure win na sila…

But then, game 1 is over and natalo tayo, the question will be how will the whole team react on that situation to prepare on the next game… Steve, show McCaskill that this time, he can’t repeat his heroics from game 1 where you didn’t play…

God bless us all!
neil Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 10:58 am

No one doubts Thomas’ vow to win
by Nelson Beltran
Source: The Philippine Star | July 22, 2008

Steven Thomas went straight to practice after arriving from the United States yesterday morning, apologizing to his Air21 teammates for missing Sunday’s game and vowing to make up for it with a win tomorrow.

Thomas promised they would get even with the Magnolia Beverage Masters in Game Two of their Smart PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinals showdown at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Beverage Masters exploited the absence of Thomas as they walloped the Express, 113-87, in the series’ opener Sunday at the Astrodome.

Lordy Tugade starred for Magnolia in their last two games and beat out Ginebra’s Jayjay Helterbrand for the PBAPC’s Smart-Accel Player of the Week honors.

“We’re no longer thinking about Game One. It’s all about the absence of Thomas. Now that he’s back, Game Two will be a different story,” said Air21 coach Bo Perasol.

“We’re giving away only nine second-chance points a game in the tournament. In Thomas absence, we yielded 25 points. It’s really all about us missing our import,” Perasol added.

Perasol said Thomas was very apologetic as he appeared in their practice at the Xavier gym in San Juan without a rest from his long flight from the US.

“He just dropped by in his hotel to pick up his practice uniform then he proceeded to our practice. At first, his teammates were kidding him, not minding his presence. After a while, they were all working hard, boosted by the return of our import,” said Perasol.

Thomas’ brief US journey didn’t go for naught as he was picked No. 4 overall in the draft exercise done by the Korean Basketball League among import hopefuls.

Over a hundred players attended the tryouts with Terrence Leather another ex-PBA import picked in the draft.
neil Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 11:09 am

Air21 coach Bo Perasol felt Thomas’ sincerity in his apology.

“His first words when he arrived at the practice facility were ‘Let’s win on Wednesday coach,’” Perasol said.
airwind22 Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 11:49 am

ayos!!! si Steve na mismo ang nagpromise that we will get even with MBM…

its payback time!!!
murdoc Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 12:58 pm

The game will be square one again! Fight and fly AIR21!
noname Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 4:21 pm

ayan! guaranteed na! si steve na nagsabi na game 2 sa atin!hehehehehe
leathaface08 Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 4:52 pm

YEAH!!!

Its PAYBACK time!!!
maghanda n kyo magnolia cuz’ now were complete again
& we’ll gonna CRUSH you!!!
-=311=- Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 6:52 pm

sana wag lang sa salita gawin ni steve sana gawin niya!!
airwind22 Tuesday, 22 July 2008 at 10:23 pm

i know steve feels down for not able to help the team

kaya im sure babawi talaga xa…