SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE IN HARD-EARNED WIN
San Mig Super Coffee bounced back from a loss the last time out, and dug out of a deep hole this time.
The Mixers made an incredible turnaround from a 20-point deficit, carving out an amazing 92-82 win over the GlobalPort Batang Pier and their new import Dion Lowhorn to regain a piece of second place in the PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.
Marqus Blakely, PJ Simon and James Yap got the team back in the fight in the third quarter, and the Mixers gallantly fought on to tie the Air21 Express and the San Miguel Beermen at second with a 3-1 slate.
The Batang Pier blew away a 44-24 bulge in the second quarter and a 51-24 spread at the half for the heart-rending loss – their third in four starts in the season-ending tourney.
GlobalPort dropped to joint seventh with Rain or Shine and Barako Bull.
Charging to within one, 67-68, at the end of the third, the Mixers pressed and pushed harder in the final canto to complete a huge 30-point turnaround.
“I was angry at myself at halftime. I don’t think we got hard in practice and it carried over in the game. No one to point the finger at but myself. The guys came out to bail me out,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.
“We were sluggish in the first half. We got some things going coming out of the half from James (Yap) and PJ (Simon),” Cone added. “They were very prepared and we weren’t, but our depth and talent got us in the game, and it took from there.”
The Mixers eventually pulled ahead at 78-72 on a 9-0 binge by Blakely and Ian Sangalang and pulled away, 84-74, on baskets by Blakely and Simon.
Outperformed by Lowhorn early on, Blakely came through in the more important stretches of the game, finishing with 25 points, 13 rebounds, six steals, five assists and one block.
Simon paced the team with 26 buckets while Yap and Marc Pingris contributed 13 and 10, respectively.
Lowhorn got off to a strong start and came up with game highs of 33 points and 16 rebounds.
Energized by Longhorn, the Mixers jumped the gun on the Batang Pier, 29-13, and led by 20 points once at 44-24.
But then they played terrible in the crunch. (SB)
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