Beermen settle for third

Dethroned champion San Miguel Beer salvaged second runner-up honors in the Selecta PBA All-Filipino Cup with a come-from-behind 83-81 win over Commissioner’s Cup titlist Red Bull in their one-game playoff at the Astrodome last night.

The Beermen pounced on the Thunder’s fumbling finish as they overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit and somehow ended their 2002 season on a good note with a third-place trophy.

"Magandang ending (in our season), magandang final game before we take the Christmas break," said coach Jong Uichico as he gave the franchise its 13th second runner-up honors overall since the league’s inception in 1975.

Uichico considered the season good enough although their cumulative win-loss record dipped dramatically from 43-27 to 26-23 this year. This is the first season Uichico failed to reach the finals of any conference since he took the rein in the team in 1999.

"Personally, this is a good year for me in terms of experience. Of course, there’s the Asian Games, our Italy trip and our several games against foreign teams," said Uichico.

Red Bull made some improvement in terms of win-loss record as the Thunder surpassed their 28-23 mark last year to 30-17 this season. It could have been a lot better if not for the team’s harrowing finish in the All-Filipino.

Already botching a good shot at the finals, Red Bull also wasted what had looked like a won third-place trophy on bum plays after bum plays at endgame versus San Miguel.

Going scoreless in a three-minute stretch in the final 3:55 of play, the Thunder squandered a 74-68 advantage, falling behind at 74-78 from which they failed to recover. The Beermen repulsed the Thunder despite playing minus their one-two punch in Danny Ildefonso and Olsen Racela, who were both nursing slight injuries.

Dorian Peña, Joey Mente, Boybits Victoria, Bryan Gahol and Dondon Hontiveros delivered the needed numbers in the absence of Ildefonso and Racela.

Peña had 20 points and eight rebounds, Mente added 16 points, Victoria 15 points, Gahol 12 points, three assists and three rebounds, and Hontiveros practically the same stats with 11 points, three assists and three rebounds.

Curiously, the Beermen pulled through though they were dominated by the Thunder off the boards, 17-39.