Top of the world: San Mig finishes off Rain or Shine in Game 6

(UPDATED) San Mig Super Coffee dethroned the former champion so it’s only fitting for the Super Coffee Mixers to claim the coveted crown.

With young guns Mark Barroca and Ian Sangalang delivering the killer blows just when they needed it the most, San Mig Super Coffee outlasted gritty Rain or Shine in a walkout-marred Game 6 Wednesday night 93-87 to clinch the PLDT-myDSL PBA Philippine Cup before a jampacked Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Reeling from a 74-81 defeat in Game 5 three days ago, the Mixers played with a collective sense of urgency as they seized immediate control, leading by as many as 17 points in the first half but still needed the big lift from the likes of Barroca and rookie Sangalang in the stretch to complete another amazing journey to the top.

The 5-foot-11 Barroca led all scorers with 24 points while Sangalang scattered 15 markers, with the two combining for all but six of the team’s final 27 points including one big bucket after another that clearly sucked the life out of the hard-fighting Rain or Shine crew.

With the victory, the Mixers wrapped up the hard-fought series 4-2 and claimed their sixth All-Filipino title–a league-best and their first since 2010.

Aside from that, San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone also bagged his 16th overall crown that saw him move past the legendary Baby Dalupan in the league’s all-time list.

Veterans Joe Devance, Marc Pingris, James Yap and PJ Simon also had their respective contributions but there was no denying the Young Turks helped the Mixers complete their rise from the depths after starting the conference with three straight losses and an alarming 1-5 skid.

Despite controlling majority of the first half, the Mixers found themselves in a tight battle with the Painters, who leaned on the exploits of Paul Lee, Jervy Cruz and Beau Belga that saw them turn a 43-49 halftime deficit into a one-point lead heading into the payoff canto.

Then Sangalang took over as he exploited his height advantage against RoS counterparts and sparked a 13-3 run for a nine-point lead before Lee clustered eight of the next ten points that kept them in the thick of the fight going to the last four minutes.

Then Barroca added the finishing touches.

The former FEU star drilled in the Mixers’ next eight points that kept the Painters at bay and sealed the deal by making two freebies, one of them off the second technical foul incurred by Guiao in the closing seconds as the pre-dominantly San Mig crowd of 20,337 basked in delight.

Just like what they did in the previous Governors' Cup, San Mig Super Coffee went on another magical ride, beating erstwhile three-time champion Talk ‘N Text in the quarterfinals and crowd favorite Ginebra in a grueling best-of-seven semis before upstaging the well-rested Painters in the title showdown.
 
The Main Man: Now, it’s safe to say that Mark Barroca is no longer the “Coffee Prince” but now the “Coffee King.”

After struggling early in the series, the former FEU guard came to life in Game 6 where he scattered 14 of his game-high 24 points in the final canto.

And Barroca being named as the Finals MVP was clearly a fitting reward.
 
Honorable Mention: Also deserving to receive a big part of the limelight was rookie Ian Sangalang, who showed poise and composure well beyond his 22 years of age as he provided the needed push for the Mixers early in the fourth where he pumped in seven big points.
 
Game Turning Point: With Paul Lee and the Painters staying hot on their heels, Barroca restored order by sparking a personal 9-5 run capped by a big triple off RoS defender Gabe Norwood before teammate Marc Pingris came through with two freebies and a big defensive stop on Lee that virtually sealed the deal for the Mixers with 37.6 seconds left.  
 
They Said It:
San Mig Super Coffee coach Tim Cone: “You (Mixers fans) kept cheering and playing. Without you, we would not have done this.”
 
San Mig Super Coffee guard Mark Barroca: “Sabi ko lang sa kanya na ibigay na samin ‘to. Mabigat na kalaban ang rain or Shine kasi nga kontra-pelo rin namin .Hardwork nasa dugo ko lang ‘yun.”
 
The scores:
 
SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE (93) - Barroca 24, Sangalang 15, Devance 12, Pingris 12, Yap 10, Simon 9, Reavis 5, Mallari 4, Melton 2.

RAIN OR SHINE (87) - Lee 23, Belga 21, Cruz 11, Chan 7, Quinahan 6, Rodriguez 6, Arana 5, Tiu 3, Ibanes 3, Norwood 2, Almazan 0, Tang 0.

Quarterscores: 30-17, 49-43, 66-67, 93-87.