INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines - With the right frame of mind to go with its talent-laden crew, San Miguel Beer played to its true potential and dealt sister squad Barangay Ginebra a sound whipping.

“I really wouldn’t say that we dominated it, I think the players just came out more mentally prepared,” San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen after a 95-78 victory Friday night that squared the best-of-seven series for the Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup at 1-all.

“Basically, our defense was able to slow them down. They didn’t shoot as hot (as in) the first game.”

Gabriel Freeman, named earlier as the Best Import of the conference, hit 23 points and grabbed 17 rebounds despite being saddled with early fouls while Jay Washington fired 17 and Marc Pingris hitting 14 off the bench for the Beermen.

The game took an ugly twist inside the final two minutes when elbows came flying on the floor, and after the game when Danny Ildefonso and Marc Pingris stormed into courtside to confront a Ginebra fan, identified as Ferdinand Nervadez, a 40-year-old businessman from Malabon.

Araneta Coliseum security and even members of the Ginebra coaching staff were able to pacify the two San Miguel big men who charged at Nervadez, who reportedly shouted expletives at Washington right after the game.

Ildefonso, who has had prior brushes with fans, and Pingris have been summoned to a 10 a.m. conference by commissioner Sonny Barrios, who more than a month ago did not suspend Sta. Lucia’s Marlou Aquino for the same offense.

“As the series gets longer, emotions are going to get higher,” Tanquingcen said when asked to comment on the ugly endgame that saw his point guard, Olsen Racela, sustain a nasty bruise below the right eye courtesy of an uncalled for Ronald Tubid elbow.

The Beermen actually trailed early after Ginebra tried the same jackrabbit start with a speed unit that had two point guards in the starting crew.

But San Miguel was up to the challenge this time, and though it trailed by two at the end of the first 12 minutes, the Beermen were able to slow down the tempo of the game and clogged the lanes to force the defending champion Gin Kings to take—and miss—a bunch of three-point shots.

Ginebra took a total of 38 triple tries and converted on only 12.

Meanwhile, Jayjay Helterbrand, helping the Kings survive the absence of injured backcourt mate Mark Caguioa, became just the third player in PBA history to repeat as the Player of the Conference.

The fleet-footed, six-foot point guard won his second such accolade pulling away, relegating Burger King cornerstone Arwind Santos to a runner-up finish yet again after topping all but two of five categories to total 1,357 points.

Helterbrand, fancied to be the starting guard for the National team in two important international events in the next four weeks, received the handsome plaque moments before tip off of Game 2.

The scores:
SAN MIGUEL BEER 95—Freeman 23, Washington 17, Pinris 14, Hontiveros 14, Villanueva 8, Ildefonso 6, Racela 4, Pennisi 4, Pena 3, Cortez 2, Eman 0, Gonzales 0, Calaguio 0.

BRGY. GINEBRA 78—Noel 20, Helterbrand 15, Tubid 12, Artadi 11, Baguio 7, Reavis 5, Mamaril 3, Salvacion 3, Menk 2, Lanete 0, Intal 0.
Quarters: 20-22, 50-44, 71-64, 95-78