MANILA, 12 July 2005 — Danny Ildefonso, hugged his two kids in the middle of a celebration, tears flowing from his chinky eyes.

Olsen Racela ran away with two hands in the air while the rest of the Beermen mobbed the court with confetti and balloons falling down to the rafters.

The two veteran mainstays of San Miguel Beer once again delivered at a time they were needed the most and the Beermen escaped with a 91-87 win over the Talk N’ Text Phone Pals in Game 5 of the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome Sunday night.

Ildefonso and Racela, two remnants of the Beermen squad that last tasted a championship four years ago, used their experience to the hilt as they came through with big plays that quashed the Phone Pals’ bid of extending the series.

But the two former national team standouts didn’t want the series to go farther.

Ildefonso, a two-time Most Valuable Player awardee, who was surprisingly not included on the national team of coach Chot Reyes, gave the Beermen the go-ahead basket.

He worked on a familiar two-man game with Racela, rolled to the middle after setting up a screen on the San Miguel guard then received a timely pass and looped it over Jerald Honeycutt for an 88-87 lead with 22 seconds left.

Needing one big defensive stop at the other end, the more experienced Racela read the play of the youthful Jimmy Alapag.

He intercepted a pass intended for Willie Miller then picked up a foul in the loose ball that set him up for two charities.

While taking the free throw, Racela was cool and calculating.

The bitter memory of the Busan Asian Games where he bungled two important charities that led to the downfall was definitely out of his mind Sunday night as he canned in both free throws with 13 seconds to go for a 90-87 San Miguel lead.

Left with no other choice but to send the game in an extra five-minute stretch, the Phone Pals desperately go for a trey, but Honeycutt took the shot too early from way out and Dorian Pe?a secured the rebound — and the win for the Beermen. Racela split his charities in the next play and it was everything but the shouting for San Miguel.

In what could be their most memorable championship, the Beermen captured their 17th title with so much class. They came out prepared in the series with or without Asi Taulava.

Every game, different personnel would step up to the challenge, but Ildefonso and Racela were par excellence.

Ildefonso, once the most dominant front-liner in the league, reasserted his mastery inside the shaded lane even against a Honeycutt or a Taulava thrown at him.

He had seven of his 12 points last night, but his consistent showing the entire series made him as the hands down choice for the Finals MVP award.

Racela, on the other hand, reemerged as the most cerebral playmaker in the league.

He may not be as explosive as say like a Miller or an Alapag, but he made sure he will get the job done and keep firm control of his team.

Meanwhile, Shell’s stay in the PBA remains uncertain, with team members having no idea whether they would be donning the Turbo Chargers jersey next season.

Shell coach Leo Austria yesterday said a team dinner is set within the week, with management expected to announce its plans for the squad.

The rest of the team members, however, remained clueless in the midst of rumors the Turbo Chargers indeed are cutting short their stint in the PBA after 10 years.

The scores: San Miguel (91) -- Custis 22, Hontiveros 15, Seigle 15, Pe?a 15, Ildefonso 12, Racela 8, Adriano 4, Villoria 0, Belasco 0.

Talk N Text (87) -- Honeycutt 22, Pablo 10, Belano 10, Taulava 9, Alapag 9, Telan 8, Miller 7, Carey 6, Ravena 4, Fran 2, Gelig 0, Camaso 0.

Quarterscores: 21-25, 40-42, 61-66, 91-87.