Mark Barroca of San Mig Coffee (dark) vs Ranidel De Ocampo of Talk N Text (light). PBA IMAGE by Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines — San Mig Coffee ended defending champion Talk ‘N Text’s Philippine Cup reign with a 90-82 squeaker in the deciding game of their quarterfinals series Sunday night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
The Mixers closed the game and the Tropang Texters’ bid for a fourth straight all-Filipino crown on an 8-0 run fuelled by a three-point play by Marc Pingris that broke an 82-deadlock, with 1:38 left.
Joe Devance padded on to San Mig Coffee’s cushion, 87-82, on an undergoal stab with only 57.9 seconds left before Mark Barroca’s two free throws with 35.2 ticks remaining booked the Mixers a seven-game semifinals date with top-seeded Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
“I’m stoked. Really pumped up playing Ginebra. Should be a lot of fun, should be a fun series,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone. “One day to prepare is going to be tough. Ginebra is coming off a huge win. It’s going to be tough to meet their energy on Tuesday.”
Game 1 of what should be a thrilling semis showdown between two of the league’s most popular teams start on Tuesday 8 p.m. at the nearby Mall of Asia Arena.
Ranidel de Ocampo tallied a game-best 22 points, including a triple that knotted the count at 82 with 2:30 remaining, but he blew a defensive assignment against Pingris on the low block that gave the lead to San Mig Coffee for good.
De Ocampo’s trey also marked the Texters’ last basket as they missed their last five attempts, four of which from downtown.
Barroca finished with a team-high 18 points, eight of which came in the fourth quarter, while also collecting game-highs of 12 rebounds and five assists while Devance and Pingris scored 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Rookie Justin Melton also starred with all of his 12 points coming from long range and at one stretch hit back-to-back 3-pointers in the third quarter that put the Mixers ahead, 60-53.
Jayson Castro added 15 points and Niño Canaleta chipped in 13 for TNT, which won the second game of their best-of-three, 82-77, last Friday.
San Mig Coffee and Ginebra split their two elimination round meetings.
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