Game Notes from Barako Bull vs Rain or Shine Game 10/28/09:

• Final Score Barako Bull defeats Rain or Shine, 89-81
• Barako Bull (2-2)
• Rain or Shine (0-4)
• Chad Alonzo leads Barako with near-flawless game 17 pts 11 rebs 5 assists 1 steal 1 error in 26 mins
• Barako Bull wins the game with eye-popping 38-13 blast in 2nd quarter
• Barako Bull leads 64-43 at halftime
• Alex Crisano provides energy, entertainment and 14 points in 1st half
• Magnum Membrere delivers KO blows in 4th quarter with booming triples
• Crisp ball movement + selfless play + gutsy players + Crisano = Barako Bull is fun to watch
• Since there are no star players on this team, no one seems to act like one (at least not yet)
• Barako Bull certainly easier on the eyes than Coca Cola (0-3) and Rain or Shine (0-4)
• Rain or Shine opens season with 4-game tailspin
• Sol Mercado & Gabe Norwood a.k.a. Fire and Ice put up decent numbers
• Mercado 14 points  3 rebs 4 assists 1 steal
• Norwood 17 points 7 rebs 5 assists 2 steals 1 block
• Mercado and Norwood, however, combine for 9 errors (almost half of total turnovers by Rain or Shine)
• When your defense allows Crisano to play like an all-star in 1st half, there’s something amiss
• Offensive Rebounds: Barako Bull 19 Rain or Shine 6
• Second Chance Points: Barako Bull 20 Rain or Shine 6
• Ironically Rain or Shine outscores Barako Bull in the 1st, 3rd and 4th periods.
• Play of the Game: With 3 minutes to go in 3rd quarter, Crisano grabs rebound, throws perfect touchdown pass to Menor. Menor misses layup. Aries Dimaunahan does excellent trail-job and grabs offensive rebound. Dimaunahan misses easy putback. Leo Najorda snatches another offensive rebound, twirls and hits a turnaround jumper plus a foul. In that one play, Barako Bull shows what it did right all night and Rain or Shine shows what it failed to do all game long.
• The good news for Rain or Shine: It’s a long conference. No need to panic.
• The bad news: Rain or Shine’s next opponent is SAN MIGUEL. No rest for the weary. MH