• LUTZ STARS AS PETRON OUTSTEADIES B-MEG

Published on October 5, 2011

With a crippled lineup, Petron Blaze worked hard during the off-season to improve in particular its
defense. It paid off at least in its first game in the season proper versus B-Meg and its new coach
Tim Cone.

“Depensa talaga ang pinagtrabahuhan namin. And against B-Meg, we really focused ourselves to
defend their triangle offense,” said Petron coach Ato Agustin after steering the Boosters to a
73-69 win over the Llamados in the second play date of the 2011-12 Philippine Cup Wednesday night.

The Boosters charged back from an early double-digit deficit and beat out B-Meg in an exciting and
thrilling battle watched by a near capacity crowd at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Chris Lutz, a product of the Smart Gilas program, acquitted himself with his pro team right away,
putting in big help as Petron spoiled Cone’s debut with his new team.

“We took advantage that they’re not yet that adept to their new system. We defended all the
options of the triangle offense and it worked,” said Agustin.

Lutz came through with a team-high 19 points that went with four rebounds, three steals and one
block in 37 minutes of play. He played extended minutes with Dondon Hontiveros hurting his foot just
six minutes into the game.

“My teammates put me in a great position to play that game. We definitely helped one another,”
said Lutz.

Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos likewise dished out solid games helping the Boosters pick up from
where they left off last season.

Cabagnot fired 17 points, including seven of their last nine, while Santos started the season with a
double-double performance with 19 rebounds and 11 markers.

Santos was coming off a season where he was one of only two locals to average double-double numbers.

Lutz got away with a three-point play off Mark Barroca then Cabagnot rattled in four straight
charities as the Governors Cup title-holders made a decisive move from a 66-67 count.

In the same stretch where Lutz and Cabagnot strung up those clutch baskets, the Boosters put big
stops on the other end, holding the Llamados to 0-of-4 three-point shooting to win the game.

It was a good win for the Boosters who needed to rally from a 10-point deficit, 6-16, early on.

They closed in at the half, 36-38, and stormed ahead, 45-38, at the outset of the third before the
Llamados had their counter-chase to the tone of the fierce endgame battle. (SB)

The scores

Petron 73 – Lutz 19, Cabagnot 17, Santos 11, Miranda 8, Sharma 6, Ildefonso 5, Guevarra 3, Agustin
2, Yeo 2, Baclao 0, Hontiveros 0.

B-Meg 69 – Simon 21, Yap 10, Raymundo 10, De Vance 9, Yap R. 9, Ferriols 4, Barroca 2, Reavis 2,
Maierhofer 1, Pingris 1, Urbiztondo 0.

Quarterscores: 13-22, 36-38, 58-54, 73-69