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For
three quarters, San Miguel coach Chot Reyes watched
grimly as his off-form troops struggled to get their
offensive flow and repeatedly threw away crucial
possessions.
But when
it seemed Reyes was ready to concede, Danny Ildefonso
and Dondon Hontiveros picked up their rhythm and rallied
the Beermen to a 114-109 victory over the Red Bull
Barakos in Game One of their semifinal showdown in the
Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup last
night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Ildefonso and Hontiveros combined for seven-of-nine
shooting for 23 points as the duo carried the fight for
the Beermen, who came away victorious despite committing
a conference high 26 turnovers.
A 19-2
run swayed the momentum in favor of the Beermen, visibly
out of game shape due to a long break they earned for
gaining outright passage in the semis.
Hontiveros scored 12 fourth-quarter points in that
telling spurt that included three huge three-pointers.
His last trey ended that run and shoved SMB ahead,
111-102, with
2:34 left.
“We
really expected to struggle in this ball game with the
long break that we had. Everybody was talking [about]
the rust and the inactivity we had. I think those 26
turnovers is the best testament to how rusty we were
coming into this game,” Reyes said.
“Besides, we are playing a tough team which is coming
off a three-game winning streak and a lot of momentum.
But fortunately, the guys stayed the course. They didn’t
panic and somehow we managed to make a run. In the end,
we just got lucky.”
It was a
heartbreaking setback for the Barakos, who controlled
the game early and seemed to have the game wrapped up
when they took an 11-point advantage, 88-77, late in the
third quarter.
The
Barakos suddenly lost their grit and aggressiveness and
soon after that, they experienced an offensive meltdown
that saw them making just eight of 25 shots in the
fourth quarter.
“I think
we just outlasted them in the end because they [Barakos]
are coming off a tough series,” Reyes observed.
With
tough defenders alternating on him, Danny Seigle hardly
made an impact but still manage to show the way for the
Beermen with 21 points. Ildefonso and Hontiveros
contributed 18 apiece for San Miguel which shot 54
percent in the fourth quarter and outscored Red Bull,
32-21.
Enrico
Villanueva and Junthy Valenzuela scored 20 points apiece
to lead the Barakos, whose poor shooting from the
free-throw line was partly to blame for their downfall.
Red Bull missed 15 of 32 free throws with Villanueva
going six for 15. |
