Beermen squeak past Kings anew

Sister teams San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra took practically the same route in their second meeting last night with the Beermen pulling off a 79-78 squeaker after a botched play by the Gin Kings at the Araneta Coliseum. Jay Washington hit the go-ahead tip-in of his own miss with 13.4 seconds left to secure the victory that all but assured San Miguel of a twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals of the PBA Philippine Cup. Willie Miller again had the potential game-winning attempt for the Gin Kings but it was smothered as Ginebra’s six-game winning streak, which started after a 68-69 loss to San Miguel last Oct. 17, ended. “I think we are just very lucky against them,” San Miguel coach Ato Agustin said in Filipino. “It was like the same play (as in the first round).” After Washington put the Beermen ahead, Ginebra went to Miller again in its final offensive. But Arwind Santos  blocked Miller’s short stab, enabling San Miguel to run out the clock and rise to 9-2 overall. Ginebra dropped to 7-3, still half-a-game ahead of third-running Talk ‘N Text. San Miguel actually blew a 14-point third-quarter lead, as Ginebra came roaring back behind Mark Caguioa and rookie Jimbo Aquino to forge a 68-all deadlock, before taking the lead twice in the endgame. Meanwhile, Alaska played just hard enough in posting an 87-76 decision of lowly Barako Bull in the first game. Cyrus Baguio scored 19 points and Joe Devance had 16 and eight rebounds for the Aces, who climbed to a level 5-5 while dealing the Energy Boosters a fifth straight loss that shoved them closer to elimination. At 2-8 and with four matches to go, the Energy Boosters need to win games in a string in order to climb out of the rut.

The scores:
First Game
ALASKA 87—Baguio 19, De Vance 16, Thoss 13, Hugnatan 10, Custodio 9, Dela Cruz 9, Tenorio 7, Borbora 2, Eman 2, Espiritu 0.
BARAKO BULL 76—Juntilla 16, Daa 13, Isip 13, Salvacion 11, Alonzo 10, Wainwright 7, Hubalde 4, Cruz 2, Hermida 0, Duncil 0, Bono 0, Andaya 0, Dimaunahan 0, Yee 0.
Quarters: 16-11, 43-30, 62-44, 87-76
Second Game
SAN MIGUEL 79—Hontiveros 20, Santos 15, Washington 11, Seigle 9, Cabagnot 8, Yeo 6, Pena 6, Miranda 2, Ildefonso 2, Tugade 0, Racela 0.
BARANGAY GINEBRA 78—Caguioa 16, Tubid 15, Miller 11, Hatfield 10, Aquino 8, Wilson 5, Villanueva 5, Menk 4, Cortez 2, Helterbrand 2.
Quarters: 21-22, 45-40, 66-59, 79-78