By Rey Joble

THE defending champion Sta. Lucia Realtors finally showed up.

The Realtors made sure there were no second-half meltdown this time as they played consistent basketball all game long to wallop the Alaska Aces, 76-65, and reduce their best-of-seven semifinal deficit to 1-2 last night in the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bitoy Omolon triggered the Realtors? breakaway in the second period. The rest of the cast did a little bit of everything in the second half?from Joseph Yeo?s hang-time moves, to Kelly Williams? intensity on both ends of the floor, plus timely contributions from Dennis Espino, Denok Miranda and unheralded Christian Coronel.

In the end, it was a total domination for the Realtors, who squandered big margins in the first two games.

But Game 3 was the breakthrough the Realtors were hoping for to salvage some measure of pride and keep their bid of becoming the first team in 24 years since Great Taste Coffee to defend an All-Filipino crown.

Sta. Lucia Realty coach Boyet Fernandez was visibly impressed with the energy his team showed in this game.

?We want to stay alive in the series and for us to stay alive, we need to come up with a lot more energy. We were more energized tonight,? said Fernandez. ?In the first two games, we started strong but couldn?t finish the job. In this series, it?s not about which team will start out strong, but which team will finish the game stronger.?

?Bitoy stepped up his game. Kung maganda ang laro niya, maganda pupuntahan ng team. I would like to give credit to Christian [Coronel], too, for his defense against Tenorio. We?re happy to get our first win in the series. But we?re still down. We?ll take this series one game at a time,? added Fernandez.

Omolon finished the game with 25 points, 11 rebounds and three steals in a solid all-around performance.

With the Realtors giving the Aces a dose of their own medicine in defense, their offense came out smoothly for Fernandez and his embattled troops.

Miranda had a short jumper, Coronel nailed a triple and Williams drilled in another trey as the Realtors already delivered the knockout blow in the early part of the fourth to establish their biggest lead of the game, 70-51.