Barako Bull holds off San Mig Coffee to end six-game skid

Evan Brock FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Barako Bull withstood a late charge from San Mig Coffee, 105-100, Sunday night to keep its quarterfinals bid going in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Import Evan Brock topscored with 25 points but it was the hot shooting of Mick Pennisi and Josh Urbiztondo which showed the Energy Cola the way out of a six-game slump.

“Great game for us. We’re still alive, the chances are now 50 percent that we can still reach the quarterfinals. Barako Bull is a good team, we’re just unlucky the past few games,” said Barako Bull consultant Rajko Toroman.

Pennisi and Urbiztondo combined to shoot nine-of-12 from behind the arc.

As deadly as the Barako Bull’s offense was, its defense in the final minute also played a key part in stopping the Mixers.

The Energy Cola turned a seven-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter to a 13-point lead, 98-85, after a basket by Allein Maliksi with 4:17 left. Barako Bull still led by 10, 102-92, on a drive by Brock with 2:27 remaining.

But the game was far from over after the Mixers went on an 8-0 run to pull to within two, 100-102, after forcing a turnover which led to a pair of free throws from Denzel Bowles with 24.0 ticks left.

Eman Monfort, who also gave the Energy Cola a lift in his first-ever PBA game, split his charities to make it, 103-100, five seconds later. Urbiztondo and Sean Anthony also made one-of-two at the line to ice the game after San Mig Coffee failed to convert.

The Mixers blew a chance to grab solo fourth place in the standings and instead dropped to a tie with Air21 in eighth with a 5-6 mark.