San Miguel in ‘Fiesta’ finals

MANILA, Philippines–San Miguel Beer overpowered Derby Ace all night but still needed key plays in the stretch before finally forging a 91-83 victory Sunday that clinched for the Beermen a championship berth in the PBA Fiesta Conference.  

The Beermen closed out the series, 4-2, and will awat the winner of the Alaska-Talk ‘N Text tussle, which spilled over to a seventh game after the Aces stormed out of the gates en route to a 94-83 decision in the first game of the doubleheader at the Araneta Coliseum.   Gabe Freeman, Jay Washington and Arwind Santos ganged up on the Llamados in crucial portions of the second half as the Beermen bounced back from a so-so Game 5 where coach Siot Tanquingcen blasted his squad for lack of effort.   “Basically, that was the glaring difference in Game 5, our lack of effort,” Tanquingcen said. “Derby Ace is a proud champion and it will not lie down and give it to you. You have to work for it. We thank God for blessing our effort.”   Freeman was the chief tormentor of the Llamados, pitching in 26 points and 22 boards, while Washington added 18 and 13. Santos scored 14 points and shouldered most of the defensive chores on Derby Ace import Tony Washam.   Washington and Santos each scored eight in the third period as the Beermen seized control of the match.   Incidentally, Tanquingcen is 3-0 in the Finals, having won his first two titles with Barangay Ginebra and the third with San Miguel in this tournament last season.   Washam led the Llamados with 30 points but James Yap still labored hard in the face of San Miguel’s pesky defense and was limited to just 14, none in the fourth quarter.

  Freeman scored 11 of his total in the fourth quarter, including the insurance layup with 1:27 left that made it 85-75.

  The Aces played with energy the whole game and humbled the Tropang Texters on both ends, enjoying leads of as many as 18 points early and 19 late in the fourth.   “We had a really good game in terms of execution and playing both sides of the ball,” Alaska coach Tim Cone told reporters. “We took a little advantage of our quickness and that surprised them somewhat.”   Alaska will be playing its third straight Game 7 against the same foe, with the Aces losing the last—in the Philippine Cup Finals two seasons ago.   “We will just come out and execute our game plan,” Cone added, referring to Wednesday’s game. “They came out a little soft (tonight) and we were able to take advantage of that. But I don’t think that they will come out the same way (for Game 7).   “It will be 50-50,” Cone said.   Diamon Simpson scored 21 points, had 18 rebounds and three blocks, and Cone used just seven more men, who contributed offensively while playing hard-nosed defense all night.   After surging to a 30-12 lead late in the first period, the Aces  kept the Texters at bay the rest of the way. Talk ‘N Text came no closer than 57-59, before Alaska methodically raced ahead again.   Reynel Hugnatan knocked in a short jumper with 6:41 left for 87-68, and that basically doomed the Texters, who couldn’t sustain a last-gasp stand. A Jason Castro layup got them no closer than 83-91, with 2:19 left.   Cyrus Baguio stole off Jimmy Alapag on the next Texters play, scooting away for a layup that restored a 10-point lead, with 1:45 left.   “Up until that point, actually, we didn’t feel that we were in any comfort zone,” said Cone, who bared that starting center Sonny Thoss would be out for the rest of the series because of chipped bones in his left foot.   The dilemma now for coach Chot Reyes, who got an unpleasant 47th birthday gift, is whether he needs to change imports because it was evident that Shawn Daniels wasn’t the reason why they lost the game.   “The worst part of this loss is that we got outworked,” Reyes said.   Daniels scored 16 points and had 11 rebounds, and together with Alapag, kept the Texters in the game after the Aces had taken that 18-point lead in the first period.   The game was intense in the first 24 minutes, as several flagrant fouls were called. Even team owners Wilfred Steven Uytengsu of Alaska and Manny V. Pangilinan of Talk ‘N Text were seen screaming in the sidelines. The scores: First Game ALASKA 94—Simpson 21, De Vance 19, Baguio 14, Tenorio 12, Dela Cruz 11, Borboran 8, Hugnatan 8, Fonacier 1. TALK ‘N TEXT 83—Alapag 20, Castro 19, Daniels 16, Williams 11, De Ocampo 7, Dillinger 4, Carey 3, Cardona 2, Yee 1, Aban 0. Quarters: 31-17, 54-43, 77-63, 94-83 Second Game San Miguel 91–Freeman 26, Washington 18, Santos 14, Cabagnot 12, Yeo 8, Hontiveros 5, Ildefonso 5, Villanueva 3, Pena 0. B-Meg Derby Ace 83–Washam 30, Yap. R. 15, Yap J. 14, Simon 6, Artadi 5, Pingris 5, Reavis 4, Maierhofer 2, Allado 2, Canaleta 0, Adducul 0. Quarters: 25-16, 51-42, 71-58, 91-83