So, what was the result expected? Nothing out of the extraordinary, really.
It wasn’t a rout, yet San Miguel Beer won just the same as everyone had predicted, its depth simply too much to bear for Meralco in an 86-77 victory Wednesday night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Head coach Ato Agustin remained undefeated in five games since taking charge after the Beermen went 1-1 (win-loss). He sported a confident smile upon entering the interview room after the contest, even maintaining a low-toned voice when the point of discussion came about over San Miguel’s sudden lack of interest when the game looked on its way into a blowout.
“Medyo nag-relax when we led by 20 points,” said Agustin, the MVP in 1992 with the Beermen. “Then I called time and told them that the game’s not over.”
Overall, though, San Miguel is fast shaping up to be a near-invincible team. And Agustin believes so.
“Gumaganda na ang chemistry ng team unlike in our first two games,” he said.
Jay Washington, ejected in San Miguel’s last outing against sister-team Derby Ace for throwing the ball on a fallen Don Allado, scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field, Arwind Santos added 19, and Joseph Yeo and Alex Cabagnot each contributed 11 for the only remaining founding member of the PBA seeking to win a 19th championship.
Olsen Racela, on the other hand, reached a milestone of sort, becoming the sixth player after Robert Jaworski Sr., Ramon Fernandez, Alberto Guidaben, Yoyoy Villamin and Terry Saldaña to see action upon reaching the age of 40. He celebrated his 40th birthday Last Nov. 1.
The victory gave the Beermen a 6-1 record and seized the solo leadership, breaking a tie with Talk ‘N Text. San Miguel may not be in that position much long since the Tropang Texters are heavily expected to conquer the Llamados in a game Friday.
Meralco played without Mac-Mac Cardona, who suffered a sprained right ankle in the Bolts’ game against Powerade last Oct. 30. He was good for 19 points a night, but his absence hardly showed that the newest franchise groped for form offensively.
Down 72-52, Meralco came charging back and slashed it to within 79-73 on two free throws from Nelbert Omolon. But Cabagnot had a split, and Washington made two more from the stripe to make it 82-73 with 53.6 ticks left to play.
Surprisingly, San Miguel prevailed even though it was outrebounded, 48-38. The Beermen also committed 21 turnovers.
Defense, however, was the key.
“Sa defense, walang malas. Sa offense meron,” said Agustin. “So sometimes, when you play good defense, your offense gets affected in a positive way.”
Gabby Espinas poured in 16 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for the Bolts, who dropped to 2-5 halfway through the 14-game elimination round.
San Miguel’s win came in contrast to the opener of the day’s double-header. Air21 needed a late rush to overcome Powerade, 102-95.
The Express started the game in way they did not desire, but still ended up with enough poise, fire and luck to get back on the winning track.
Ronjay Buenafe scattered a personal conference-high 28 points, 11 coming in the fourth quarter, as Air21 rallied from a third-quarter, 14-point deficit to deny the Tigers once more of their aspirations of a first-ever back-to-back win in the season-opening conference.
Buenafe, a second-round pick (11
th) in 2007, had one of those rare four-point plays that glittered in his output. But it was the three-point shot in the last 34.9 seconds that broke the backs of the Tigers as Air21 collected its third win in six games.
“I thought we already lost the game,” Yeng Guiao, the Express coach, said. “They (Tigers) just relaxed a little but at the end of the third quarter. It was an ugly game for us, pero nanalo eh, so tanggap namin. It’s not really the way to win games. May kahalong buwenas.”
As a result, the Express reclaimed some confidence back after Barako Bull took some of it away. The Energy Boosters dealt Air21 a shocking defeat last Oct. 29, 89-79.
JR Quinahan added 19 points, Wesley Gonzales contributed 10 and Josh Urbiztondo dished off seven assists for the Express, who trailed by as large as 69-55 and merely shot 3-of-25 (12 percent) in the first quarter. In the entire first half, Air21 just had a 24.5 percent clip from the field, converting 12 of its 49 attempts.
“We just kept shooting the ball when we got an open shot,” said Guiao. “True enough, we made our shots in the second half. It’s just the law of averages.”
Gary David scored 28 points to lead Powerade. That was just three points shy of the conference high he himself set when the Tigers whipped the Bolts, 81-66, in their meeting last Oct. 30.
