One win closer to Grand Slam: Rookie, Mixers hold off E-Painters

Game tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

8 p.m. – San Mig Coffee vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines - Gutsy young player Ian Sangalang sparked a key San Mig Coffee run early in the fourth quarter then the Mixers fought the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the crunch to pull off a 78-69 victory that brought the team to within a win of a dream grand slam.

Sangalang, runner-up to Greg Slaughter in the Rookie of the Year derby, strung up three straight baskets to touch off a decisive fourth-quarter flurry that carried the Mixers all the way to the threshold of the PBA Governors Cup crown to the delight of the predominantly San Mig crowd of over 17,000 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Mixers nail the last jewel to a Triple Crown with a win either in Game Four tomorrow or Game Five on Wednesday.

But San Mig coach Tim Cone said it’s too early to talk about the grand slam as Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao promised to force a rubber match.

“You can’t talk about it till it’s done. We can’t afford that as we’re facing the mentally strongest team that we can play. They just don’t break down,” said Cone.

“They compete in every possession. You just continue to battle and can’t take a play off. The moment you do, you’re in trouble,” Cone added. “It’s a battle all the way tonight and we really had to earn it.”

“We’re down 1-2 but I don’t think it’s the end. I don’t think it’s ending (tomorrow),” said Guiao.

“We just got outworked today. We lost by 13 rebounds and we relied too much on AZ (Reid) for scoring. AZ was trying very hard to carry us on his shoulder but it won’t happen by his lonesome,” Guiao said on their Game Three defeat.

Sangalang scored eight of his 13 points in the fourth quarter while Marqus Blakely, Joe Devance and PJ Simon provided support as the Mixers overcame Reid’s 31-point explosion.

No other Rain or Shine player scored in double figures in the contest dominated by the Mixers early on before the E-Painters made a key move and seized the lead for the first time at 59-58 early in the fourth quarter.

It was a brief ride on top for the Elasto Painters as Sangalang rose to the occasion, leading an attack that sent the Mixers back in control at 70-61 entering the last seven minutes of play.

The two teams engaged in a tough defensive battle from there with each team shackling down one another.

From a 70-64 count, the Mixers completed the win by holding the E-Painters down to just five points. 

“It’s not a game of big shots. It’s more of a game of big stops,” said Cone.

“They played with a lot of energy and aggressiveness. I’m not happy the way we came out. We had a chance and we turned the ball over five times. It’s just terrible mental lapse,” said Guiao.