Mixers rally to stop Aces, extend series

MANILA, Philippines – San Mig Coffee shook off a hard struggle in the first three quarters and unleashed one mighty run in the payoff period, blasting Alaska Milk, 70-65, to force a deciding Game Three in their PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals faceoff at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

After playing catch-up basketball nearly all the first 40 minutes of play, the Mixers came through with a decisive 16-to-nothing run to turn the game around and subsequently stay in the running for a possible third straight championship.

Held to just 12 points in each of the first two quarters, the reigning Governors Cup and Philippine Cup champs fell behind by a huge 13-point deficit in this low-scoring game and were still behind at 51-57 before finding a good rhythm to steal the game.

 â€œIt’s a grinded-out basketball, pure and simple,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

 â€œIt’s a huge struggle playing against the Alaska defense. They’re defending on a championship level. It’s hard to find gaps and breaks inside their defense. It’s incredible, solid and quiet frustrating,” Cone also said.

“It’s hard to get flow and rhythm. I’m just proud of the guys they hung in there, grinding and pulling out the win,” he added. “Whether we can pull it out again, I don’t know. I hope so.”

 Marc Pingris, though still recovering from a bruised rib, provided tremendous energy on both ends while Mark Barroca, Joe Devance, James Yap and James Mays delivered the key buckets in their breakthrough run that pushed San Mig Coffee ahead, 67-57, with time down to 1:17.

Pingris scored only three of his team-high 17 points in the payoff period but shone bright with his hustle plays that made things happen for the Mixers. Among his brilliant efforts was holding Rob Dozier scoreless in the final canto.

“I was really hoping his bruised rib would give him a break. Ping stepped up and played big for us,” said Cone.

Mays struggled for only five points and two rebounds in the first half but also helped a lot with five points and couples of big rebounds in the fourth period. He ended up with 12 markers and 11 boards.

Barroca contributed 13 points, including a three-point play off Jvee Casio that finally gave SMC the upper hand at 58-57 with four minutes to go.

The Alaska bench raised a howl as Barroca appeared to commit a traveling violation before coming through with the three-point play.

Yap scored on a leaning one-hander in their next offensive thrust, and the Mixers went on a roll.

Dozier asserted himself early on as the Aces dominated the first half, sitting on a 36-24 cushion at halftime.

Dozier fired away 17 points while not a single San Mig player scored more than six in the first 24 minutes of play.