‘Hot’ San Mig Coffee blasts Barako Bull

PJ Simon vs Ronald Tubid. PBA/NUKI SABIO

MANILA, Philippines — Hot San Mig Coffee zoomed away in the second half to rout Barako Bull, 93-73, to stretch its winning streak to five Friday in the PBA Philippine Cup in Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Mixers turned a tied ball game at the half into complete domination, which placed them at the top two with a 7-2 card.

James Yap and Peter June Simon, San Mig’s lethal combination, combined for 42 points.

“It was a key win for us,” said head coach Tim Cone, who noted that it was the first victory for them at Ynares Center in Antipolo since he assumed the mentoring reins.

“We didn’t like our tempo early in the first, we didn’t have the energy, but they did a better job on the 2nd half.”

The Mixers, who were actually down by five at the end of the first, started pulling away when Yap started to connect on his jumpers, left and right.

Back-to-back buckets from Yap made it a 79-63 game with under seven minutes to go, and San Mig Coffee just kept on pushing.

San Mig Coffee caught Barako Bull in transition since it changed its head coach from Junel Baculi to Bong Ramos starting in this game.

The first time these two teams met, it ended in a controversial 92-91 victory in favor of the Mixers.

“We played our worst defensive game against Barako the last time, we won it by the skin of our teeth, we were really lucky,” Cone shared.

Ronald Tubid and Leo Najorda paced the Energy, who absorbed their seventh setback (3-7), with 17 and 10 points, in that order.

The scores:

SANMIG COFFEE 93 – Yap 22, Simon 20, Reavis 12, Intal 11, Devance 7, Villanueva 5, Barroca 4, Gonzales 4, De Ocampo 4, Ramos 2, Ponferrada 2, Pacana 0, Pingris 0.

BARAKO 73 – Tubid 17, Najorda 10, Yap 9, Seigle 9, Anthony 8, Alvarez 6, Kramer 6, Ballesteros 4, Pennisi 4, Co 0, Marcelo 0, Cervantes 0.

Quarters: 10-15, 36-36, 67-57, 93-73