San Mig Coffee pummels Meralco, completes semis cast

MANILA, Philippines – San Mig Coffee pounded Meralco as it lost steam and energy in a massive power outage at the finish, and the Mixers stayed in contention for a title repeat in blasting the Bolts, 90-82, in a do-or-die quarterfinals game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

Denzel Bowles, forced to sit down a long stretch after sustaining a cut below his right eye, returned fresh and rejuvenated in the final half, leading the Mixers’ juggernaut as they wore down the Bolts and went on to clinch the last slot in the Final Four.

Holding the Mixers scoreless in the last 8:03, Bowles and his teammates pulled through with the rousing eight-point win sending them to the best-of-five semifinals against elimination-round topnotcher Alaska Milk.

The other semis pairing pits Talk n Text and Barangay Ginebra. The Tropang Texters and the Gin Kings start their battle at 6:45 p.m. on Friday at the same venue.

“It seems they (the Bolts) got tired in the end, especially Eric Dawson. Denzel going out after the cut proved to be a blessing in disguise,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

“Denzel got seven minutes of unnatural rest. He doesn’t usually get that rest. We played him the whole second half and we kept on telling him ‘you’re fresh,’” Cone added.

The reigning Best Import awardee did finish stronger than his Meralco counterpart who went scoreless in the fourth quarter, going 0-of-4 from the field and committing two turnovers.

Missing all their last 11 field attempts and turning the ball over six times in the last 8:03, the Bolts suffered the same fate they had in their quarters showdown with the Mixers last year.

And a Final Four stint remained elusive for Meralco.

San Mig Coffee, on the other hand, set up an interesting semis matchup with Alaska, taking a shot at a second finals stint in the mid-season tourney.

For the record, the Mixers, under Cone, are 8-0 against the Aces.

“We’re just happy to be in the semis playing the top seed. (Our 8-0 record against them) doesn’t mean anything going to the playoffs,” said Cone.

Bowles finished with a double-double game with 23 points and 11 rebounds though limited to 37 minutes after sustaining a cut on a wayward elbow by Reynel Hugnatan in the second quarter.

And there's James Yap, still with a sore back, getting over the hump, coming through with 20 points, three rebounds and the same number of assists.

“I worked hard for it for two days,” said Yap of his good performance. 

Despite the temporary ouster of Bowles, the Mixers finished strong in the second quarter with Yap, PJ Simon and Marc Pingris hitting clutch shots as San Mig Coffee sat on a 53-46 cushion at the turn.

Just after Bowles took the exit to have his cut stitched by their team doctor, Yap fired away a three-pointer then Simon rifled in a long twinner, capping a 13-2 tear that gave the Mixers a 15-point spread at 47-32.

But then Dawson ripped through San Mig’s defense with five straight markers and Mac Cardona and Josh Vanlandingham also put in key baskets as the Bolts made it a seven-point game at the half.

Bowles had made 15 points, six rebounds and one assist before needing to sit down the last 7:19 of the first half.