Mixers halt Bolts; Air21 trips Alaska

Game today (Panabo, Davao del Norte)

6:30 p.m. – Petron vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines - San Mig Coffee overcame a flat start and injuries to Joe Devance and Larry Mallari as the Mixers stopped the streaking Meralco Bolts, 76-71, and forced a tie at fourth place in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at theYnares Sports Center last night.

Despite their poor first-half and the sidelining of Devance and Mallari, the Mixers stayed right behind the Bolts before sneaking in at the finish, thus catching up with their victims at fourth at 4-4.

“There were many things that didn’t go our way in this game. But we kept battling and battling,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone. “The thing I like with our team is as we struggle, we do a good job on defense.”

True enough, the Mixers played tough defense, holding the Bolts down to 13 points in the payoff period and scoreless in the last 3:33 of play.

The Mixers clamped down on Meralco gunners Macmac Cardona, Sunday Salvacion and Ronjay Buenafe, who keyed the Bolts’ three-game romp versus Globalport, Air21 and Barako Bull.

Salvacion (six), Buenafe (two) and Cardona (zero) were held to just eight points together as the Bolts were denied a new franchise record streak.

“We really had a slow start and we can’t beat Meralco with that. We turned on defense to do the job,” said James Yap.

Yap and Denzel Bowles carried the offensive load, combining for 42 points as the Mixers bounced back from their loss to the Barangay Ginebra Kings and returned to  the .500 mark.

“Hopefully, we can carry this win over to our next game against Air21,” said Cone.

Cone and the Mixers were also hoping that Devance and Mallari would be spared of a serious injury.

Michael Dunigan put in another dominant performance with 25 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks, and Air21 tripped Alaska Milk, 74-68, to tie Barako Bull at seventh place at 3-5. 

The Aces suffered a second loss in their last three games but remained in the lead at 6-2.