Millsap plays through pain to lift the Boosters

By: Celest R. Flores - 11 years ago

MANILA, Philippines — Elijah Millsap carried Petron to an all-important victory Wednesday night as if nothing bothering him.

He still finished with 30 points, capped by a fiery fourth quarter performance, in the Boosters’ 99-88 clobbering of San Mig Coffee to send PBA Governors’ Cup finals to a game seven.

ELIJAH Millsap NUKI SABIO/PBA IMAGE

But Millsap had to shrug off a painful left foot, which even forced him to change from Nike Kobe shoes to Jordan IIIs midway, all game long.

“It’s just jammed,” said Millsap, who admitted that it has been bothering him the entire conference. “So we gotta get some ice on it as fast as possible.”

The thought of Petron’s bidding adieu to their campaign, which has been largely successful since the elimination round, fueled Millsap late in the game.

After the Mixers tasted the lead 82-80, Millsap took matters into his own hands for the flatlining Boosters and scored the next eight points to give them the lead for good.

“My team [inspired me]. We don’t wanna lose this game,” he said. “We came out with the energy with the need, we didn’t take this game for granted.”

“In crunch time he proved that he’s a leader. He kept the team together. He did a tremendous job, not only in scoring but leading this team to the victory,” said Petron head coach Gee Abanilla.

Millsap is expected to lay it all on the line once again for Petron in the winner-take-all game seven on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.