Super Alex strikes again

MANILA—Alex Cabagnot is fast making a habit out of this.   San Miguel Beer’s long-haired starting point guard knocked down the game-winning layup for the second straight game Saturday night, clinching an 85-83 victory over Derby Ace in a PBA Philippine Cup game presented by Phoenix Fuel at the Araneta Coliseum.   Receiving the inbound with 14.7 seconds left, Cabagnot, a lefty, played out the clock then went for a drive against Roger Yap before eluding Rico Maierhofer’s defense with a right-handed reverse with a tenth of a second left.   It was a scene replayed from four nights ago, when Cabagnot also hit the game-winner opposite reigning Fiesta Conference champion Alaska.   “What can I say? Even I am shocked (at the ending),” new San Miguel coach Ato Agustin told reporters in Filipino as the Beermen improved to 5-1 overall. “But that (Cabagnot drive) was part of the play and Alex is a smart player and he took the second option.”   Agustin, who remained undefeated in four games at the helm of the league’s most talented squad on paper, noted that the first option was for Cabagnot to dribble out the clock in pick-and-roll plays and look to drop off a pass to a shooter.   But in the end, Agustin was saying what he did after the win over Alaska: “Alex did a good job.”   Gary David scored 31 points and led Powerade to an 81-66 victory over newcomer Meralco later in the night.   David was the only one who finished in twin digits for the Tigers, who rose to 3-2 while dealing the Bolts their fourth loss in six outings.   Defending champion Derby Ace, which stayed in the cellar with a 1-5 card, put up a huge fight, coming back from 16 points down in the second period to even lead, 55-53, after a Val Acuna triple with 3:42 left in the third quarter.   And the Llamados never stopped fighting even though they trailed again by as many as nine with just under five minutes left.   Reigning MVP James Yap and Peter June Simon dropped triples inside the final 71 seconds, with Simon’s trey forging the game’s last deadlock at 83.   Meanwhile, Talk ‘N Text tries to reclaim a piece of the lead Sunday when the Tropang Texters battle the Aces in the 6:30 p.m. game even as Rain or Shine tries to snap a two-game slide against Barako Bull earlier at 5.   All is not well inside the Rain or Shine camp with point guard and RP Team member Solomon Mercado reportedly getting into a shouting match with coach Caloy Garcia after a loss to Barangay Ginebra Friday night.   Mercado was seen and heard outside the Rain or Shine locker room shouting never to again play for Garcia, who used him sparingly in the second half of the lopsided loss.   San Miguel’s  high-scoring players struggled with the 14 points of Dondon Hontiveros proving enough to lead the squad.   Coming into the contest, Hontiveros was shooting an average 18 a game, while Arwind Santos was hitting 26. Against the Derby Ace defense, Santos was held down to just eight and Cabagnot nine after averaging close to 18 in the Beermen’s first five games.   James Yap led the Llamados with a personal season-high 21.   Derby Ace got back in the game by holding the Beermen scoreless for more than seven minutes in the third quarter as the Llamados turned a 39-49 halftime deficit to that two-point lead after Acuna hit that triple.   Incidentally, the trey was the team’s first for the game, and the Llamados would not make another until the final 2:43 mark of the fourth courtesy of Simon which pulled Derby Ace within 76-78.   But Hontiveros answered back right in San Miguel’s next possession, restoring a four-point lead with 2:14 to go before Simon cut it down to 77-81 four seconds later.  

“I am very happy that the team has won four straight (games under me),” Agustin said. “But it is still very early and we have a goal to keep in mind and that is to maintain our standing in the top and avail of the twice-to-beat privilege (in the playoffs).” Photo by Nuki Sabio, PBA   The scores:
SAN MIGUEL BEER 85—Hontiveros 14, Seigle 11, Yeo 10, Ildefonso 10, Cabagnot 9, Santos 8, Miranda 7, Washington 4, Racela 4, Pena 4, Artadi 2, Pennisi 2.
DERBY ACE 83—Yap J. 21, Villanueva 11, Salvador 10, Simon 9, Allado 9, Gaco 7, Yap R. 6, Acuna 5, Maierhofer 5, Canaleta 0, Adducul 0.
Quarters: 23-16, 49-39, 64-60, 85-83
Second Game
POWERADE 81—David 31, Lanete 9, Macapagal 9, Espino 7, Reyes R. 6, Ritualo 6, Gonzales 5, Antonio 5, Rizada 3, Reyes J. 0, Calimag 0, Laure 0, Mendoza 0.
MERALCO 66—Escobal 17, Espinas 12, Menor 8, Weinstein 6, Ross 6, Daa 6, Taulava 5, Cardona 4, Aquino 2, Arao 0, Belga 0, Aljamal 0, Omolon 0.
Quarters: 24-16, 44-33, 63-50, 81-66