BARAKO BULL ENDS SKID WITH STUNNER OVER SAN MIG COFFEE
Resurrected.
Barako Bull injected some life in its sagging playoffs aspiration as the Energy Cola drubbed the San Mig Coffee Mixers, 105-100, in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup Easter Sunday showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Evan Brock fired away 25 points even as Josh Urbiztondo and Mick Pennisi combined for 41 points with 9-of-12 three-pointers as Energy Cola stopped a long six-game slump and moved back into strong contention for the post elims play.
“We have three more games left against Petron, Globalport and Rain or Shine, and we’re just a win behind the fourth placer,” said Barako Bull consultant Rajko Toroman expressing confidence they still have a good chance of making the playoffs at 4-7.
Barako Bull is actually a game behind San Mig Coffee (5-6) and Air21 (5-6) and a game and a half behind joint fourth placers Barangay Ginebra (5-5), Talk n Text (5-5) and Meralco (5-5).
“The most important thing is that we still have a chance. Zero-six is not fun. We got so much relief winning this one,” said Urbiztondo, helping lead the way for Barako against his former team.
Resilience and persistence paid off for the Energy Cola who repeated their 79-75 win over the Mixers in their previous tiff on Feb. 8.
They made a decisive run in the fourth quarter as they erected a 100-88 lead that was enough to cushion San Mig Coffee’s endgame charge.
What turned out to be an omen of things to come for the Mixers was a mix-up of uniform at the half causing them a technical foul at the start of the third period.
Mark Barroca curiously returned from the halftime break, wearing Alex Mallari’s jersey.
Despite the mix-up, the Mixers actually picked up some rhythm, establishing a double-digit spread at 70-60.
But then, the Energy Cola fought back behind the hot hands of Pennisi and Urbiztondo, getting their own double-digit spread at 100-98.
The Energy Cola went 4-of-8 from the stripe in the last three minutes, enough to clinch the crucial victory.
Rookie Emman Monfort played quality minutes, helping the Energy Cola seize control in the fourth quarter.
Fouled by Mark Barroca in the last 19 seconds, the former Ateneo chief playmaker confidently went to the line only to split his charities, making it 103-100.
“It’s important that we got something from Monfort. We understand that he’ll be a great help for us,” said Toroman of the newly activated freshman.
An error by the Denzel Bowles in the next play all but sealed Barako’s win. (SB)
The scores:
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