MANILA, 28 June 2005 — The San Miguel Beermen are back in the finals, and they have their two-time MVP to thank. Danny Ildefonso came up with the big shot in the last eight-tenths of a second, knocking down a fade away looper and lifting the Beermen escape another ferocious rally by Red Bull, 88-86 to advance into the PBA Fiesta Conference Finals on Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 2000 and 2001 MVP found himself in a very tight bind after receiving a pass from a well-covered Dondon Hontiveros, but faked off Lordy Tugade to open himself up for the jumper that avoided for the Beermen another collapse.
Import Ace Custis, who debuted in San Miguel’s Game Three win by scoring 26 points, then ruined Red Bull’s last-ditch attempt to send the game into overtime. He tapped the ball out of bounds that foiled an alley-hoop play intended for Earl Barron.
The win will carry San Miguel to its only first championship appearance in two years, and the 9th under Uichico. Overall, the Beermen are appearing in the championships for the 27th time.
San Miguel won the best-of-five series three games to one. Just like what Uichico and virtually everyone else thought, victory all looked like an easy picking for the Beermen when they broke loose from a close game to lead biggest at 84-72 with 9:05 left, after Olsen Racela sank a basket that beat the shot-clock.
But the Barakos, who came back from 21 points down to win in Game Two, are definitely not new to situations like these.
Exerting one last effort to stay close and extend the series into a deciding Game 5, the Barakos rallied with Barron scoring four points in an 8-0 run before Warren Ybanez pushed Red Bull to within 83-86 on a triple.
And then, shades of Game Two haunted San Miguel again. Junthy Valenzuela delivered the biggest basket for Red Bull, knocking down a triple to tie the game, 86-86, and leaving the Beermen with 24.6 seconds to map out one last play. Custis launched a shot that missed terribly, his shot falling short of the target. But Hontiveros scooped down the offensive rebound, only to encounter three defenders underneath.
He managed to find Ildefonso nearby, and the former National U stalwart maneuvered his way out of harm’s way for the winning basket. After the basket swooshed, Ildefonso ran across the court with a marching gait, then thumped his chest numerously right in front of the Red Bull bench.
Meanwhile, Talk N’ Text lived up to its lofty billing as playoffs top seed as it completed its mastery of Shell to gain a return stint in the PBA finals.
The Phone Pals squandered a 19-point lead and flirted with disaster in regulation play but lived on in overtime, hacking out a 96-91 win that sent them to the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup Finals versus the San Miguel Beermen. Runners-up to the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the recent Philippine Cup, the Phone Pals believed they have what it takes to go all the way to win the championship this time.
Stopping Shell’s amazing romp in the playoffs, Talk N’ Text takes a shot at the coveted crown versus San Miguel Beer in a best-of-seven title showdown beginning with Game One Friday in the same venue. It’s the first time in league history that Talk n Text and San Miguel are figuring in a title playoff. The Phone Pals are gunning for a second championship while the Beermen are shooting for a 17th crown. Shell eventually took the exit in the tourney on a sorry loss which team governor Bobby Kanapi felt was hastened by one crucial call in overtime.
