SAN MIG COFFEE OUTLASTS MERALCO IN ANTIPOLO
Denzel Bowles fired 10 of his game-high 23 points in the final period, four of them in a 7-2 wind-up in the last five minutes of the game as San Mig Coffee pulled away in the end to beat a stubborn Meralco side 76-71 in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
James Yap added 19 points as the Mixers survived Joe Devance’s and rookie Alex Mallari’s succumbing to injures in the second half to improve to a 4-4 win-loss record with their fourth win in their last five games.
“It was just a great battle out there. Every time we came close, we came up with a silly offensive or defensive play and (Meralco would) pull away again. It was very, very frustrating. There were many times our players could’ve just hung their heads and said this isn’t going to be our night. But we kept battling and they battled themselves to victory,” said San Mig Coffee head coach Tim Cone of the win which enabled his team to bounce back from a 96-88 loss to Barangay Ginebra last Sunday.
Last year’s Best Import winner, Bowles had a lot to do with it especially in the end.
“He may just float at certain times of the game but when we need something like a basket or a rebound, Denzel always steps up. He’s been always like that for us,” said Cone of his import who still came through despite his six turnovers.
The Mixers actually still won the game despite a league conference-high 27 turnovers.
Chris Ross recorded his first career triple double in the league with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists while Eric Dawson added 20 points, 13 rebounds and four steals but the Bolts’ three-game win streak still came to an end while dropping their record to the same 4-4 slate as their tormentors.
Meralco, which remained winless in seven games at the Ynares Center since entering the league in 2010, actually dominated the first half where it led by as much as 12 points behind the efforts of Ross, Reynel Hugnatan and rookie Cliff Hodge.
But San Mig Coffee, behind a suffocating defense and a 55-43 dominance of the boards with Bowles’ and Pingris’ grabbing 16 each, slowly but surely got back in the game before going on that strong finish in the end.
Devance left the game midway through the third period with a suspected MCL (medial collateral ligament) injury on his left knee while Mallari sprained his right ankle on a loose ball scramble, leaving the game at the 5:57 mark of the final quarter.
“We won’t know Joe’s real situation until he gets an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). But I’d be happy if it’s just an MCL injury. I really thought at first he hurt his ACL (anterior cruciate ligament),” said Cone, preferring the less serious knee injury.
The Bolts, who got a 2-for-6 shooting from three-point range from Sunday Salvacion but got a combined 0-of-11 from the rest of the team, also didn’t get any help from Mark Cardona who was held scoreless on a 0-of-8 shooting from the field.
Cardona, who scored at least 11 points in each of his first seven games for Meralco this conference, was held scoreless in a game for the first time in a Bolts uniform.
Ross’ triple-double was the first by a local player since Mike Cortez had 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists when Barangay Ginebra beat B-Meg 88-79 April 15 last year in Game 3 of a best-of-5 semifinal in this very same conference last season. (FM)
The scores:
San Mig Coffee 76 – Bowles 23, Yap 19, Simon 9, Pingris 7, Mallari 6, Devance 6, Barroca 2, Najorda 2, Reavis 2, De Ocampo 0.
Meralco 71 – Dawson 20, Hodge 14, Ross 10, Hugnatan 8, Artadi 6, Salvacion 6, Reyes 5, Buenafe 2, Manuel 0, Guevarra 0, Cardona 0, Sharma 0.
Quarterscores: 15-25; 34-38; 56-58; 76-71
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