COFFEE MIXERS MAKE IT BACK-TO-BACK
NAGA CITY – With Denzel Bowles saddled with early fouls, the San Mig Coffee key local players did the job as the Mixers scored a second straight win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup here Saturday night.
PJ Simon shone brightest as he scored eight of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, leading San Mig Coffee to a 91-84 victory over Globalport in a Phoenix Fuel-sponsored road game at the Jesse M. Robredo Coliseum.
San Mig Coffee established a huge lead early and overcame Bowles’ foul woes, chalking up back-to-back victories following three straight losses.
James Yap and Joe Devance had firepower support as the Mixers avoided an endgame fold-up, tying the Talk n Text Tropang Texters and the Meralco Bolts at fifth place while relegating the Batang Pier to eighth at 2-4.
Simon and Devance combined for 12 points in the crunch, keeping the Batang Pier at bay even as Gary David caught fire in the fourth quarter.
David, the league scoring champ in the last three seasons, erupted for 22 of his 27 points in the second half.
Simon, Devance and Yap put in double-digit outputs making up for the foul-hit Bowles scoring only four points in the second half.
Like David, Japeth Aguilar got going in the fourth quarter.
The 6-foot-9 forward finished with 21 points but had ill-advised shots that torpedoed their comeback bid.
After Aguilar missed a three-point attempt, Yap nailed his own three-pointer as San Mig Coffee settled the outcome of the game at 87-77 with a minute left to play.
The Mixers found their range early with Simon, Yap and Mark Barroca combining for four triples as San Mig Coffee took the opening quarter at 27-15.
San Mig Coffee then struck from inside and out as it pulled away, 46-23, in the second period.
The Batang Pier closed in a little at the half, 33-46, in scoring all of the last 10 points in the second quarter.
Only four players accounted for Globalport’s first-half production with Sol Mercado and Justin Williams logging 17 and 10, respectively. (SB)
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