Barako upends NLEX

BARAKO Bull’s 7-foot-1 import Sol Alabi (left) clamps down on Asi Taulava in the shaded area in last night’s game. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO /NUKI SABIO, PBA

MANILA, Philippines—Barako Bull put an end to the hottest streak in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup while snapping its own long, cold spell with a 91-85 victory over NLEX at Smart Araneta Coliseum last night to advance to the first round of the playoffs.

Chico Lanete drained two triples inside the final two minutes to highlight a closing 12-0 run that ended the Energy’s four-game losing streak and closed out their elimination round campaign with a 5-6 card.

READ: Barako Bull bolsters playoff bid, halts NLEX 5-game win streak

The win put Barako in seventh spot at the moment as Alaska guns for the final playoff spot today against Barangay Ginebra also at the Big Dome in Cubao.

NLEX dropped to 6-5 and could end up as the No. 5 seed in the quarterfinals.

San Miguel Beer, the reigning Philippine Cup champion, took to the door with a little bit of respect after a 106-94 win over Globalport that put the Batang Pier on the ropes.

READ: San Miguel trumps Globalport but bows out of playoff chase

The Beermen, Batang Pier and idle KIA Motors all finished with 4-7 records and the only way that Globalport can advance is for Ginebra to beat Alaska.

An Alaska victory, however, will hasten the completion of the playoff cast with Rain or Shine and Talk ‘N Text seeded No. 1 and 2, respectively, and needing to beat No. 8 and 7 just once to advance.

Import Sol Alabi scored 29 points and had 15 rebounds, Lanete finished with 13, his two triples the only ones that Barako Bull made in 13 attempts all game, while Sol Mercado scattered 12 while defending the much taller Al Thornton.

Mercado also had nine assists.

Meanwhile, Meralco tries to seal No. 4 seeding Wednesday when it battles ousted newcomer Blackwater in the 4:15 p.m. contest.

The Ginebra-Alaska game is slated at 7 p.m. and is very important for both.

A win would enable the Gin Kings to qualify in the middle of the pack to play in a best-of-three series, while Alaska needs a victory to make the playoffs via the quotient system.

The scores:

First Game

BARAKO 91—Alabi 29, Lanete 13, Mercado 12, Intal 10, Pascual 10, Garcia 7, Hubalde 6, Lastimosa 2, Marcelo 2, Matias 0, Salvador 0, Salva 0.

NLEX 85—Thornton 24, Cardona 15, Ramos 9, Taulava 9, Canaleta 8, Lingganay 7, Villanueva J. 5, Villanueva E. 4, Borboran 2, Baloria 2, Camson 0, Arboleda H. 0., Arboleda W. 0.

Quarters: 26-23, 51-49, 72-75, 91-85

Second Game

SAN MIGUEL 106—Fajardo 31, Reid 20, Ross 15, Cabagnot 13, Lutz 11, Santos 9, Kramer 4, Lassiter 3, Reyes 0, Omolon 0, Semerad 0, Tubid 0.

GLOBALPORT 94—Caracter 18, Romeo 15, Espinas 14, Buenafe 13, Nabong 8, Jensen 8, Semerad 6, Miranda 4, Pinto 4, Taha 2, Ponferrada 2, Isip 0.

Quarters: 21-23, 49-55, 76-72, 106-94