EXPRESS ROLL PAST MIXERS
ANTIPOLO – Zach Graham showed up Saturday night here as the aggressive and explosive import he is known by everybody.
Graham exploded for 38 points, including a number of fantastic plays, as Air21 broke into the win-column in the PBA Governors Cup with a 93-82 upset of San Mig Coffee at the Ynares Sports Center here.
“Before the game, I told Zach I was looking for the Zach that I know. He came out, he showed up,” said Air21 coach Franz Pumaren.
Graham, the season scoring champ last year, came out firing and also did his part on the defensive end as the Express bounced back from their 94-101 loss to the Globalport Batang Pier on opening day.
“I saw the Zach Graham that I know and the Air21 team that I was looking for. We played great defense despite getting into foul-trouble situation early,” said Pumaren.
Graham also came through with 16 rebounds, three assists and three steals, and the Express did put a lockdown defense, starving the Mixers to just two points in the last five minutes of play.
The Express finished strong on both halves and dealt the Mixers a second straight loss following a 75-79 defeat at the hands of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters Wednesday.
It’s another loss San Mig Coffee could have avoided if not for Marcus Blake’s woeful stints at the stripe.
Blakely missed 17 of 26 foul shots in this game. Through their first two games, he had bungled 30 of 45 free throws.
Another problem for the Mixers’ was James Yap’s continued slump. He was good for just two points on 1-of-9 field shooting.
The Mixers went to Blakely, Alex Mallari, Mark Barroca and Rafi Reavis as they rallied from 12 points down, charging to within two at 80-82 with a little over five minutes left to play.
But they then ran into crucial errors and misses, and the Express cashed in on these to put the game away.
A block by KG Canaleta on PJ Simon’s perimeter jumper and a passing error by Barroca gave the Express an opening to regain control at 89-80 entering the last two minutes of play.
The Express settled the outcome of the game as Ogie Menor made it 91-80, scoring on a transition play after a another muffed shot by Simon. (SB)
The scores:
AIR 21 93 – Graham 38, Cortez 13, Canaleta 12, Manuel 8, Menor 8, Isip 5, Sharma 4, Sena 3, Custodio 2, Omolon 0, Ritualo 0, Arboleda 0.
San Mig 82 – Blakely 37, Mallari 10, Simon 9, Devance 6, Maliksi 5, Acuna 5, Reavis 4, Ponferrada 2, Barroca 2, Yap 2, Alvarez 0, De Ocampo 0.
Quarters: 21-25, 49-46, 75-68, 93-82
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
