Powerhouse B-Meg choked one of the PBA’s most prolific scorers, pulling away late in the fourth quarter and stretching its winning streak to four games in beating the Gin Kings, 88-76, Sunday night in the Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

“That was the big difference tonight. We were able to take Mark out of the equation,” said Llamados head coach Tim Cone.

After struggling early in the conference, B-Meg appears to have bonded well under Cone’s Triangle Offense, holding back its sister-team that was supposed to be filled with energy after acquiring Maierhofer in a four-player, three-team trade last week and one that created interest after 14,285 fans trooped to the Big Dome.

But Ginebra, and its followers, realized that it would take some time for the former Rookie of the Year to blend with the Kings’ system. In the meantime, Ginebra would have to make sure the next time it sees action that Caguioa gets some open looks at the basket.

Caguioa made his first two shots – both triples – but missed his next seven. He finished with six points.

Ginebra now has dropped to 4-5 (win-loss), and B-Meg has improved to 6-4.

“It’s been a slow climb but we’re happy where we are,” said Cone.

“I’d rather be in this situation right now rather than have a fast start but fade away in the end. Right now, we’re just hoping to be in the Top Six. But you’ll never know. Stranger things have happened in the PBA.”  There is, of course, a chance that the Llamados would end up within the Top Two spots, which means twice-to-beat incentives in the quarter-final round. They’re within reach of that goal since Rain or Shine, which dropped a nail-biting 106-104 overtime loss to Talk ‘N Text Saturday night, and Petron are tied at second spot with 7-3 slates behind the Texters’ 8-1 record.

B-Meg, as of now, is  level with Meralco on 6-4.

Six players scored in double figures for B-Meg. James Yap had 17, and Marc Pingris added 10 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks.

Pingris actually scored five in the breakaway run in the final period. He had a follow-up and then completed a three-point play in a 9-1 assault to quell the rally of Ginebra, which came to within 72-70 with 5:57 left in the game.

Alaska, on the other hand, created an interesting race for the final playoff berth, tying Powerade at 3-7 (win-loss) after turning back winless Shopinas.com, 86-80.

Big man Sonny Thoss scored the Aces’ final four points inside the last 3:02 including a crucial follow-up off a fall-away miss by LA Tenorio as Alaska recorded its first back-to-back wins in the season-opening conference.

“Somehow, at some point, I was a little bit scared,” said Aces’ coach Joel Banal. “They (Clickers) went small and they found the mismatches in speed. But Sonny just gave us a big lift. We’re becoming successful on capitalizing on our size. We just have to keep on working and working to get where we want to be.”  The place Alaska wants to be right now is in the playoffs, and it has made a vital, giant step by tying idle Powerade – a franchise that has not stepped into the quarter-final round the past seven conferences — in the standings with its third win in 10 games. Both the Aces and the Tigers have four games left in the elimination round.

JR Reyes finally showcased his sensational side with 17 rebounds, 13 points and four blocks, and Thoss had 15 points. Cyrus Baguio scored 10 points in the first quarter to finish with 12.

RJ Jazul led the Clickers with 24 points and Jojo Duncil was the only other player from the bottom-dwelling franchise to submit an output in double figures with 13.

It has always been the weakness of Shopinas.com to fade when crunch time approaches, and the game last night was no different, having nearly pulled off an uprising after the Aces went on top by as large as 75-60 early in the fourth quarter on a basket by Eric Salamat with 9:09 left to play.

The Aces were still well in front, 80-69 when the Clickers unleashed their run.

Pong Escobal hit a three, James Sena converted on a lay-up, and Jazul had four points in a 9-0 blast as Shopinas.com came to within 80-78 with 3:31 remaining in the contest.

But Thoss maneuvered his way around his defender and let loose a lay-up attempt, and Elmer Espiritu tried to block it but was whistled for a goal-tending violation, before Duncil retaliated with his own short jumper to make it an 82-80 ball game.

After a series of misfires and turnovers, Tenorio tried to take matters into his own hands. He slashed through the middle but suddenly faded back for a shot. His attempt fell short, but Thoss was just underneath the basket for the follow-up, 84-80, with 54.3 seconds to go.

Jazul then missed a three-point shot, and after Tenorio launched an airball attempt an rainbow country, Duncil lost possession of the leather with 11 seconds left to play.

The Clickers have now lost 11 straight games.