San Mig finishes off Meralco, storms into finals
San Mig Coffee punched its return ticket to the PBA Governors Cup finals but not after surviving a hard-fighting Meralco crew Sunday night.
The Mixers nearly blew a big 14-point lead in the payoff canto but diminutive guard Mark Barroca came through with a clutch reverse lay-up in the stretch as they hung tough to a semifinals series-clinching 79-73 victory against the Bolts at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Import Marqus Blakely produced another double-double of 23 points and 19 rebounds while two other teammates–James Yap and Marc Pingris–had at least 16 markers but it was the 5-foot-10 Barroca who stood tallest in the crunch, making a reverse lay-up with 23.3 ticks left that enabled the Mixers to hold off the stubborn Bolts.
The win, coming on the heels of an impressive 94-87 victory last Friday, clinched San Mig Coffee the first finals spot in the season-ending conference and will take on the winner of the other semifinals match-up, with Petron Blaze holding a 2-1 series lead against defending champion Rain or Shine.
The championship showdown starts on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Meralco import Mario West battled through an injured right shoulder injury and finished with 22 points while his local teammates, led by Mac Cardona and veteran Reynel Hugnatan, gave enough lift in the payoff canto where they nearly wiped out a 56-70 deficit and pulled within 73-75.
The Mixers, however, won’t be denied, thanks to Barroca’s big bucket with 23.3 ticks to go.
The Main Man: Mark Barroca had only seven points but made the game’s biggest shot.
With import Marqus Blakely directing traffic in the stretch, the former Far Eastern U standout lurked at the paint and was amply rewarded with a timely feed which he translated into two pressure points, helping the Mixers to heave a big sigh of relief 77-73 going into the final 23.3 seconds.
Barroca, an underrated defensive guard, also made life miserable for Bolts counterpart Mike Cortez, who only had four points on eight attempts in 35 minutes of play.
Honorable Mentions: Import Marqus Blakely showed up like an unstoppable beast, already scattering 13 points and nine rebounds in the first 12 minutes. The do-it-all reinforcement also had five steals and two assists, the last setting up Barroca’s game-winning basket.
Also shining for the Mixers was James Yap, who drilled in 19 points, including nine in the third canto where they retained control and built enough cushion to fend off the Bolts’ uprising.
Game Turning Point: With the Bolts breathing heavily on their necks 73-75, the Mixers found a way to held on.
San Mig import Marqus Blakely drew the defense of Meralco defenders Sunday Salvacion and Chris Ross then found a wide-open Mark Barroca at the point, with the diminutive guard coolly sinking the reverse lay-up for a four-point lead with 23.3 ticks left.
The Bolts had another chance to inch closer anew but Ross misfired his triple, enabling Blakely and Co. to escape.
They Said It:
San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone: “We don’t know how to make it easy. We always make it hard for ourselves. Mario West battled through a lot of stuff. He had problems lifting his arm but he played under control and everybody stepped up. Ross stepped up his game. Salvacion and (Mac) Cardona got some things done to give them life. They played a really good series. We just went into bad luck in getting Mario West injured. We never really had to catch our breaths. Either team we play is gonna be a tough match-up. Petron is playing fluid. Rain or Shine has its own brand of play. Either opponent will be tough for us. We play day by day and what happens, we don’t look beyond what’s in front of you.”
San Mig Coffee forward James Yap: “Syempre alam naman natin kung ano ang pinaglalaban–isang panalo nasa finals kami. ‘Yun lang ang mindset ko at makatulong sa team. Ilang beses na kaming nasa semifinals, pero ngayong nasa finals, hindi na namin bibitawan ang pagkakataon na ito.”
San Mig (79) - Blakely 23, Yap 19, Pingris 16, Barroca 7, Mallari 4, Devance 4, Acuna 3, Simon 3, Reavis 0.
Meralco (73) - West 22, Cardona 13, Hugnatan 13, Ross 9, Dillinger 6, Salvacion 6, Cortez 4, Hodge 0, Wilson 0.
Quarters: 27-16, 45-38, 66-56, 79-73
