Big game, James: Yap sizzles as San Mig hammers Ginebra

San Mig Super Coffee was humming on offense all game along and there was nothing Barangay Ginebra could do.

James Yap displayed a virtuoso offensive performance in the opening half then backcourt buddy PJ Simon delivered the killer blows in the stretch as the Super Coffee Mixers turned the do-or-die Game 7 into a shootfest with an impressive 110-87 victory against the Gin Kings before an electrifying Wednesday night crowd at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Reeling from a 91-94 defeat in Game 6 two days ago, San Mig Super Coffee showed up locked and loaded offensively from the get go, with Yap turning back the hands of time by firing away 24 of his game-high 30 points in the first half and Simon putting on the finishing touches by knocking down 15 huge markers in the payoff period in a enthralling display of offensive explosion.

The Mixers, champions of the 2013 Governors Cup, barged into their second straight finals and 25th overall since joining the PBA in 1988 as Purefoods. Awaiting them are the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in what promises to be an explosive best-of-seven titular showdown that gets going this Friday also at the Big Dome.

Yap drilled in seven triples from 10 attempts while Simon went on to finish with 28 points, with the two clicking offensively and negating the presence of Ginebra’s prized Twin Towers of Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter, who hardly made an impact in the highly-anticipated match watched by a record-breaking crowd of 24, 883.

Showing poise and composure throughout, the Mixers established control immediately and broke away from a 32-all count for good behind the red-hot shooting of Yap before Simon made one big bucket after another in the crunch that repeatedly twisted the knife into the collective heart of the Gin Kings.

Mark Caguioa emerged as the lone force offensively for Ginebra as he tallied a team-high 23 points but didn’t get the usual support from the likes of Aguilar, Slaughter and ace playmaker LA Tenorio who all groped for form against San Mig Coffee’s sustained defensive lockdown.

Egged on by the relatively pro-Ginebra crowd, the Gin Kings refused to easily fold and pulled within 72-83 but Simon pumped in half of the Mixers’ next 24 points that put the result beyond doubt going to the last two minutes.

And in the early going, the Super Coffee Mixers proved they were eager to get the job done.

Pouncing on Ginebra’s erratic interior defense, San Mig Super Coffee seized immediate control with center Rafi Reavis scoring the team’s first eight points before Yap and Simon joined the fray as they seized an early 26-15 lead.

The Gin Kings, as expected, fought back behind the exploits of Caguioa and JJay Helterbrand and uncorked a 17-6 surge to tie things up at 32-all early in the second canto.

However, Yap ignited another big surge, this time a 16-3 run capped by a completed three-point play off a Chris Ellis, while enabling the Mixers to enjoy a 57-44 cushion at the break.

In that torrid start, the Mixers shot a blistering 58.5 (24-of-41) percent from the field built around 20 big assists while outrebounding the taller Gin Kings 28-17.

In contrast, Caguioa tallied 17 points but the Gin Kings collectively struggled from the field, missing 27 of their 43 attempts, no thanks to the Mixers’ lockdown defense.
 
The Main Man: Turning 32 on February 15, James Yap gave their San Mig Coffee fans something to celebrate.

The former two-time league MVP couldn’t have picked a better time to come out with his usual guns blazing as he fired 24 points, highlighted by five triples, that set the tone for the Mixers’ furious offensive showing.
 
Honorable Mention: Picking up from where Yap left off was PJ Simon, who torched the Gin Kings with 15 of his 28 points in the fourth period.

Even big men Marc Pingris, Rafi Reavis, Joe Devance and rookie Ian Sangalang did a highly commendable job in making life miserable for the Gin Kings’ Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter while contributing on offense as well.

Game Turning Point: With the Gin Kings threatening at 73-85, PJ Simon made a pair of big jumpers off defender Jay Jay Helterbrand, starting what turned out to be one epic offensive outburst that left the Gin Kings stunned no end.
 
They Said It:
San Mig Super Coffee coach Tim Cone: “I’m kinda stunned. It’s really a stunning performance by us. Great shooting. Wow! I didn’t do anything tonight. These guys did it all. I've never seen a shooting performance like that ever in my career in a Game 7. With a shooting like that, no one was going to beat us.”
 
San Mig Super Coffee guard James Yap: “Masarap lang maglaro kasi sobrang dami ng tao.”
 
The scores:

San Mig Super Coffee (110) - Yap 30, Simon 28, Sangalang 15, Reavis 15, Pingris 8, Barroca 6, Mallari 6, Devance 2, Melton 0.

Ginebra (87) - Caguioa 23, Aguilar 17, Tenorio 16, Slaughter 12, Mamaril 6, Helterbrand 5, Ellis 4, Baracael 3, Reyes 1, Monfort 0, Urbiztondo 0.