SAN Mig Coffee, with Marc Pingris working hard on both ends, overhauled a 10-point fourth quarter deficit to nip Barako Bull, 90-88, last night and snap a two-game losing streak in the PLDT MyDSL Philippine Cup eliminations at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Pingris scored 13 points and had five boards in the last period alone as the Mixers pulled this one out from the jaws of defeat to win for just the second time in six matches.
“It’s not supposed to be this hard to win,” San Mig coach Tim Cone said. “It’s a difficult time for us. This is the first positive that has gone our way in quite a while. We’re going to get stronger after all of this.”
Pingris finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds and James Yap, the former two-time MVP, turned in his finest offensive performance of the season with 16.
Barako Bull almost snapped its own four-game skid but blew a 73-63 lead heading into the final eight minutes. The Energy dropped to 2-5, now tied with the Mixers at eighth spot.
JC Intal led the Energy with 21 points with his last basket setting the final count. Barako Bull actually had a chance to win the game but Ronjay Buenafe missed an off-balanced triple try at the buzzer.
“I wouldn’t have been surprised if Buenafe made that last shot—that’s the way this conference has been going for us,” Cone added. “As long as our chemistry doesn’t die, and our desire to win does not die, it’s going to make us better.”
San Mig is one of two fancied squads struggling in the tournament—the other being Alaska. And Cone had, in fact, tried doing all sorts of things, including calling practice in a bowling alley recently.
“All you can do is keep working through it,” Cone said. “We need to find a way, and tonight we found a way.”
The scores:
First Game
SAN MIG COFFEE 90—Pingris 16, Yap 16, Sangalang 15, Barroca 13, Simon 13, Devance 9, De Ocampo 3, Reavis 3, Cawaling 2, Mallari 0.
BARAKO BULL 88—Intal 21, Miranda 14, Buenafe 12, Isip 10, Maierhofer 7, Miller 6, Pennisi 6, Jensen 4, Wilson 4, Lastimosa 2, Labagala 2, Marcelo 0.
Quarters: 24-19, 43-41, 58-66, 90-88