GAMES TUESDAY (The Arena, San Juan)
2:30 p.m.?Harbour Centre vs Magnolia Purewater
(Game 1 of Finals, best-of-five)

MANILA, Philippines?Magnolia Purewater trooped to the Finals for the first time in three years after rallying to an 88-83 victory over Bacchus in their do-or-die semifinal match in the PG Flex Linoleum Cup on Saturday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

A 12-0 spurt in the final stretch anchored on veteran Al Magpayo helped the Wizards close out the series at 3-2.

?[Bacchus] pushed us to our maximum; to our limits,? said Magnolia coach Koy Banal. ?But the players showed their experience in the fourth quarter.?

Magnolia will go up against five-time champion Harbour Centre in the best-of-five championship series starting Tuesday.

The Batang Pier, who are bidding for an unprecedented sixth straight title, swept Hapee Toothpaste, 3-0, in the other semifinal pairing.

Neil Rañeses shot 24 points built on a 10-of-15 shooting clip to pace the Wizards, who last won the crown over Rain or Shine in 2006.

Jaypee Alcaraz scored on a drive that pushed the Wizards within four, 75-79, midway in the fourth period before finishing with 18 markers.

Dylan Ababou also helped out by adding 14 points, eight rebounds and four assists.

But it was Magpayo who fueled the decisive run by knocking in eight of his 14 points in the final period, including two triples that gave the Wizards an 85-79 advantage in the final three minutes after trailing by as many as 12 points.

Pari Llagas led the Warriors with 21 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, but teammate Paul Lee was held scoreless by the Wizards in the final period.

The Wizards similarly shackled James Martinez, who pumped in 17 points in the first three quarters that helped push the Energy Warriors ahead at 59-47.

The scores:

MAGNOLIA 88?Rañeses 24, Alcaraz 18, Ababou 16, Magpayo 14, Balneg 6, Pascual 4, Losentes 3, Taylor 3, Amparado 0, Rodriguez 0, Saldua 0.

BACCHUS 83?Llagas 21, Martinez 17, Lingganay 14, Lee 12, Colina 8, Cabahug 5, Fortune 4, Fampulme 2, Acuña 0, Foronda 0, Lee 0, Guevarra 0.

Quarters: 26-30, 47-48, 66-71, 88-83