BEERMEN SILENCE B-MEG'S GUNS ANEW, MOVE A WIN CLOSER TO FINALS

(From PBA)

Mighty San Miguel Beer is a game away from gaining a shot at back-to-back PBA Fiesta Conference championships.

The Beermen, the reigning champs with fresher legs, wore down the B-MEG Derby Ace Llamados, 83-75, to move in the doorstep of the finals Wednesday at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Cashing in heavily on their domination off the boards, the Beermen opened a 14-point spread, 75-61, midway through the final period and went on to get the pivotal 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series.

The Beermen take the first of their three cracks at securing a final seat Friday at the Araneta Coliseum.

SMB coach Siot Tanquingcen said they would not take anything for granted, believing Derby Ace is capable of overcoming tough adversity.

Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio, meanwhile, vowed they wouldn’t stop fighting until the fighting is over.

For the record, the SMC-Purefoods Hormel franchise has successfully climbed out of two 0-2 and one 1-3 holes in best-of-seven series.

Gregorio, however, admitted they’re facing so enormous a task this time.

Game Four showed indications fatigue is taking its toll on Derby Ace.

“Yes, we can see Derby Ace is exhausted. Still, it wasn’t easy for us getting the win,” said Tanquingcen.

“We're manhandled in rebounding. It’s a familiar refrain, we’ll have a hard time against this team if we don’t get the rebounds,” said Gregorio.

The Beermen dominated the boards and scored heavily on second shots as they torched the Llamados in the final canto.

Gabe Freeman and Jay Washington both came through with double-double numbers and the whole SMB team snared 61 rebounds to Derby Aces’ 45.

The Llamados actually rallied to within four, 71-75, only to fade away again as they yielded crucial offensive rebounds.

Freeman had a monster performance, snaring 24 rebounds and putting in 22 points.

Tony Washam himself showed signs of slowing down, getting only 12 points and eight rebounds. (SB)

The scores:

San Miguel 83 - Freeman 22, Santos 12, Hontiveros 12, Washington 11, Yeo 7, Cabagnot 7, Ildefonso 7, Racela 3, Villanueva 2, Pena 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 75 - Yap J. 18, Yap R. 15, Washam 12, Pingris 8, Maierhofer 6, Simon 6, Reavis 4, Canaleta 3, Artadi 2, Allado 1.

Quarters: 18-17, 36-34, 58-54, 83-75

Critical Game Four

(From Business World)

The semifinals of the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference hit the half-way mark today as the pairings engage in Game Four of their respective best-of-seven affairs; a critical juncture if ever there was one as it has the potential to make or break one team’s bid.

Going into the encounters the San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces carry a slight psychological advantage over the Derby Ace Llamados and Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters, respectively, as they are sporting a 2-1 series advantage. A victory by the Beermen and Aces propels them to solid footing as they move one step away from the magic number of 4 (victories) to advance to the finale. The Llamados and Texters emerging triumphant, however, changes the tone of both series.

But as the last two games in both brackets have taken the "unpredictable" route, calling the outcome of Game Four would be difficult to do.

Coming off an inspiring victory previously, the Beermen are on a high. Fashioning a come-from-behind triumph in Game Three they showed how flexible they are as a group in taking head-on whatever thrown their way. Key for San Miguel is its frontline which has outplayed its counterpart to date. Gabe Freeman (18.3 ppg, 18.6 rpg), Jay Washington (17.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and Arwind Santos (14 ppg, 5.6 rpg) have all been delivering in more ways than one to much success for their team. Focus and execution should be guarded upon though, as the team has also shown tendencies to lose grip at various stretches, opening opportunities for its opponent.

While by and large its frontcourt has been held in check by the Beermen, Derby Ace’s big men are still competing in all fairness. Import Tony Washam (26 ppg, 8.3 rpg) is still solid while Don Allado (8.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg) is surprisingly holding his own. But outside of the two, nobody from the team’s biggies has shown up on a consistent basis like they did in the earlier rounds. Luckily guard James Yap (19.6 ppg) is holding up his strong play up to this point to somehow cushion the team.

Consistency

If there is anything that is keeping Alaska humming in its series it is the fact that it is getting more consistency from its wards compared to its foe, most especially from its starters which have accounted for 70% of the team’s offensive output in the games that have been played. Most impressive has been import Diamon Simpson who is churning out stud-like numbers of 25 points and 16.6 rebounds in the series. A concern for the Aces, however, is the continued good performance of their bench to negate the depth advantage that Talk ’N Text has. Reserves Reynel Hugnatan (10 ppg), Larry Fonacier (8 ppg) and Tony Dela Cruz (5.3 ppg) have been chipping their fair share especially in their victories, but may need to add up some more as the series goes deep.

Talk ’N Text, for its part, has been blowing hot and cold, affecting its ability to put up a solid fight in the series. Of its players, it is only Ranidel De Ocampo (17 ppg, 6 rpg) and Harvey Carey (10.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg) who have been the most steady game in and game out. The rest have had their moments so far in the series but have not really put their stamp to it. Even import Shawn Daniels (9.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg) is performing "subpar" considering what is at stake. But the thing about the Texters is that they are an explosive lot, and when they do click all at the same time (and Game Four could very well be it) the possibilities are immense; making it hard to discount them altogether even if they are currently down.

Hitting an all-important point in the competition, today’s Game Four has an added significance to it. It could well be the series here, for all we know.

Leaders air common strategy

(From Business Mirror)

Alaska and San Miguel Beer will be working to increase the pressure on their rivals and inch closer toward a possible championship showdown in the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference.

The two teams regained control of their respective semifinal match-ups with down-the-wire victories on Sunday, which Alaska coach Tim Cone described as “very crucial.”

A 90-86 win gave Alaska a 2-1 lead over Talk ’N Text in the best-of-seven series. That allowed the Aces to relax in practice on Monday and Tuesday.

“We’re hoping the extra day break has refreshed us and we go into Game Four on even terms with TNT,” said Cone of their 5 o’clock encounter with the Tropang Texters on Wednesday at the Astrodome.

The Alaska coach is expecting TNT to come back strong in Game Four as it did in Game Two, so he is keeping his fingers crossed the Aces would be able to fan a streak.

“Usually, the team who can win back-to-back in a series wins it,” Cone said.

With import Diamon Simpson asserting his dominance over counterpart Shawn Daniels and LA Tenorio taking charge when the going gets tough, Cone has a reason to be optimistic.

Cone has won 12 championships for Alaska and his last one came in 2007 in the same conference also at the expense of TNT, then coached by Joel Banal, who is now one of his assistants.

Momentum may be on Alaska’s side but Chot Reyes, coach of the top-seeded Texters, is confident his chargers will rise to the challenge and tie the series.

All they have to do, he said, is to contain Simpson and match Alaska’s aggressiveness.

“We lost Game Three because Simpson is thoroughly dominating Daniels and they [Aces] took 34 free throws to our 13. If we’re able to solve at least one of these then we’ll have a chance in Game Four,” Reyes said.

For San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen, their ability to play tough defense will be key to winning Game Four against B-Meg Derby Ace.

Making his ninth semifinal appearance, Tanquingcen said he expects their 7:30 p.m. encounter against the Llamados to be as close as Game Three which they won, 74-70.

“Nothing will be given to you in this series. You will have to work for it,” Tanquingcen said.

The Llamados remain upbeat despite Sunday’s loss but will have to improve on their shooting to be able to compete against the Beermen, according to B-Meg Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio.

“Our offense [in Game Three] was pathetic. We only scored 70 points after exploding with 95 points in Game Two. We know for a fact that we couldn’t win against SMB if we don’t score in the high 90s,” Gregorio said.

He gave his troops a break on Monday to enable them to recharge.

“We have no legs last Sunday, something that worries me because I have a short rotation which means that my players play longer minutes.” Gregorio said.

BEERMEN GIVE LLAMADOS DOSE OF THEIR OWN MEDICINE, NOW LEAD 2-1

(From PBA)

THERE is another side to San Miguel Beer it fully bared to B-Meg Derby Ace Sunday.

The Beermen were at their most awesome on the defensive end in hacking out a 74-70 victory and wresting back the upper hand in their PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals series at the Araneta Coliseum.

Arwind Santos drained a crucial right corner triple that shattered the last deadlock and pegged a 73-70 count, still 65 seconds to go, before SMB harried Derby Ace into muffing three of its last four offensive thrusts.

The only other Llamados possession resulted in a decisive inbounding error and led to a charity by Dondon Hontiveros for the final count, only 21.7 ticks left.

That tough defensive stance after being jolted by several 12-point deficits early enabled SMB to hold Derby Ace to just 25 points in the second half, both a conference low and season-tying worst for the league.

It also resulted in the win that bounced the Beermen back from a numbing 94-95 loss in the best-of-seven duel’s Game 2 only last Friday and made coach Siot Tanquingcen beam about his charges’ overall defensive efforts.

“It was a conscious effort on our part,” said Tanquingcen, whose team also won the opener 101-88.

“Even if people say we have some good talent on the offensive end, talent can only get you so far, eh. Pagdating ng playoffs everybody’s talented naman, so you have to make stops to give yourself some chance to get ahead a little.”

Only Tony Washam’s step-back jumper at the final 1:23 mark was the only endgame field goal allowed by SMB, which went into the series ranked behind Derby Ace in points allowed during the eliminations but now leads all semifinalists in that category.

Prior to that twinner, Washam’s back-to-the-basket tip-in gave Derby Ace a 68-65 lead which soon vanished in the last 4:46.

B-Meg Derby Ace wound up scoring 21, 13 and 12 points in the last three quarters and shot just 5-of-18 and 4-of-20 from the field in the third and fourth periods.

Ironically, B-Meg Derby Ace did the same to SMB in Game 2, enabling the Llamados to come charging back from an early 18-point deficit.

Aside from anchoring the defense on James Yap, Hontiveros led SMB with 17 points, while Gabe Freeman bucked foul trouble to finish with 14 points and a gamehigh 20 rebounds.

Washam paced B-Meg Derby Ace with 22 points, including half of his team’s fourth quarter output. James Yap chipped in 17 but he went 0-of-4 from the field in the fourth.

Veteran Olsen Racela typified the Beermen’s defense by going on an all-out sprint and blocking from behind KG Canaleta’s buzzer-beating triple try just before the third period ended, foiling the latter’s bid to add on to his team’s 58-57 edge.

That play not only drew appreciative cheers from the hordes of fans who braved the heavy rains and floods to watch the games, but also inspired the rest of the Beermen to intensify their efforts.

It also planted the seeds of doubt on the collective minds of the Llamados, who opened up the game 13-1, led by as much as 17 in the second and still enjoyed a 45-33 halftime lead. (NC)

The scores:

San Miguel Beer  74 – Hontiveros 17, Freeman 14, Washington 12, Santosd 8, Pena 6, Villanueva 5, Yeo 5, Cabagnot 5, Seigle 2, Racela 0, Ildefonso 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 70 – Washam 22, Yap J. 17, Allado 10, Timberlake 5, Artadi 5, Pingris 4, Canaleta 3, Maierhofer 2, Salvador 0, Yap R. 0.

Quarterscores: 14-24; 33-45; 57-58; 74-70

B-MEG TIES SERIES ON WALSHAM HEROICS

(From PBA)

MAKING the game’s biggest offensive play wasn’t enough for Tony Washam. He preserved it by pulling off the game’s biggest stop, too.

Derby Ace’s prolific import completed a three-point play with 7.9 seconds remaining, and then added further luster to it with a steal in the subsequent possession, and the Llamados successfully fought back from an 18-point deficit in a gut-wrenching 95-94 victory over San Miguel Beer Friday night in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

The man who struggled in the series opener on 6-of-18 field-goal shooting scored 33 points, 10 coming in the final period punctuated by a strong move to the basket. He connected on a lay-up, drew the sixth and final foul from Gabe Freeman and sank the bonus shot as Derby Ace tied the series at one game apiece.

But before the Llamados could celebrate, they still had to go through a tense moment in the Beermen’s final offensive play. As it turned out, Washam was there again to save them.

Washam stole the ball from the blind side when Danny Seigle attempted to make a pirouette move inside the paint, and then hurled the ball up onto their front court as he recovered the ball.

“It’s always nice to win against San Miguel Beer,” said Llamados coach Ryan Greogorio. “We’re back from scratch and let’s just hope we can pull off an upset. But there are still a lot of things we have to improve on. The rewards are really tremendous if you win against a highly fancied team.”

Playing in his only fourth game in the league, Washam also pulled down seven rebounds and four steals, and James Yap added 18 points and nine rebounds for Derby Ace, which was nearly written off after getting buried by a 45-27 deficit in the second period.

Don Allado contributed 15 points despite fouling out with 4:38 left to play for the Llamados, who conquered the Beermen despite being outrebounded 50-39 and shooting merely 37.8 percent from the field (31-of-82).

“The other thing we have to work on is how to figure out a way to score easy baskets,” said Gregorio. “We’re practically bleeding. That’s goes to show how tough their defense is.”

No one, though, will question how determined these Llamados are.

They didn’t give up when San Miguel threatened to rip the game wide open in the first half, never lost hope when, after coming to within 57-53, the Beermen stormed back to a double-digit lead at 70-57 late in the third period.

And they never waived the white flag when Alex Cabagnot had a split from the line to push the Beermen to a 94-92 lead.

With no more time-out left, Derby Ace ran its offensive play as if it was implanted on the players’ memory. Washam took the ball at long court, before beating Arwind Santos with his first step and driving hard to the basket.

Santos had 19 points to lead the Beermen in scoring, while Freeman had another monster game that went to the trash bin with 18 points and 21 rebounds.

The scores:

B-Meg Derby Ace (95) - Washam 33, Yap J. 18, Allado 15, Yap R. 9, Pingris 6, Reavis 5, Timberlake 2, Salvador 2, Artadi 2, Simon 2, Maierhofer 1, Canaleta 0.

San Miguel Beer (94) - Santos 19, Freeman 18, Washington 13, Hontiveros 9, Ildefonso 9, Villanueva 8, Cabagnot 8, Yeo 7, Seigle 3, Pena 0.

Quarterscores: 18-30, 45-57, 74-79, 95-94

Well-rested Beermen rip Llamados

(From Inquirer)

Jay Washington pumped in a season-high 28 points as San Miguel Beer rolled past B-Meg Derby Ace, 101-88, Wednesday night to seize a 1-0 lead in their PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinal series at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

The 6-foot-7 Washington poured 14 of his output in a blistering third-quarter assault that allowed the well-rested and fired-up Beermen to pull away for good.

“J-Wash was a big part of our success tonight,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen of the red-hot Washington, who also grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out four assists.

“He was passing the ball well. He was good defensively.”

The Beermen flashed a fluid offense and a suffocating defense to outscore the Llamados, 35-13, in the third period.

Dragged to five games in the quarterfinals, the Llamados looked like a spent force in the second half after engaging the Beermen in a nip-and-tuck battle in the first two quarters.

Llamados import Tony Washam, three days removed from his 49-point explosion in the series-clinching win over Rain or Shine, was held to just 23 points this time as San Miguel sent double teams to clamp down on him.

“We were not just a step behind, but three to four steps behind,” said B-Meg Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio. “San Miguel was really in-synch in what they were trying to do.”

Washington sparkled on both ends of the floor, throwing down three dunks and completing a three-point play in a four-minute stretch.

His offensive burst was a point short of his career-high set in Game 1 of the Philippine Cup semifinals against Talk 'N Text.

San Miguel closed out the quarter with a 16-2 blast, capped by a triple from Jonas Villanueva that gave the Beermen their biggest lead at 79-55.

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL BEER 101—Washington 28, Freeman 23, Santos 15, Hontiveros 15, Villanueva 8, Pena 4, Racela 3, Cabagnot 2, Seigle 2, Miranda 1, Yeo 0, Ildefonso 0, Pennisi 0.

B-MEG DERBY ACE 88—J. Yap 24, Washam 23, Simon 12, Artadi 7, Timberlake 6, Maierhofer 6, Pingris 4, Adducul 2, Reavis 2, R. Yap 2, Canaleta 0, Allado 0.

Quarters: 25-21, 44-44, 79-57, 101-88

Well-Rested TNT, SMB Face Pumped-Up Alaska, B-Meg In Slam-Bang Semis

(From PBA)

Talk N Text coach Chot Reyes believes his Tropang Texters and the Alaska Aces are evenly matched.

Tim Cone, who has been coaching Alaska for the past 20 years, doesn’t think that way although he believes his team can match-up well against the Texters.

The Aces earned a semifinal showdown against TnT by eliminating the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the deciding Game 5 of their quarterfinal series last Sunday.

While awaiting their would-be match-up, the Tropang Texters went on a tour to China and Hong Kong during their three-week break while recharging their weary bodies and re-sharpening their minds.

That luxury, some observers say, should work to TnT’s advantage in the opener of the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals scheduled Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Game One of the TnT-Alaska match-up is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. following the other semifinal series between B-Meg Derby Ace and defending champion San Miguel at 5 o’clock.

Reyes quickly downplayed the notion that his team enjoys the edge, contending “there’s no such thing as banged up or well rested team in the semis.”

“One is riding a momentum while the other is rusty. But definitely this will be a tough series between two evenly matched teams,” Reyes said.

This marks the first playoff series between the two teams since last season’s Philippine Cup Finals eventually won by TnT in seven games. They also went up against each other in the 2007 Fiesta Conference Finals won by the Aces also in seven games.

TnT and Alaska played each other twice in the elimination round with the Tropang Texters winning on both occasions.

And no matter what Reyes says, in this series the Tropang Texters are definitely the top dog. Their bench depth is the envy of many and their size and strength are expected to make life miserable for the Aces.

But after surviving Ginebra, Cone believes they have an equal chance.

“Ginebra was a tough hurdle. But we’re excited about going to the next level. We realize we’re now the unquestioned underdogs but we feel we can match up well and we like our chances,” Cone proclaimed.

Ryan Gregorio, the B-Meg Derby Ace coach, anticipates a tough grind against defending champion San Miguel but like Cone, also likes their chances.

“We are bracing for another challenge and we are bracing for a tougher one,” said Gregorio in the aftermath of their 105-100 overtime victory over Rain or Shine in the deciding Game 5 of their quarterfinal series that secured the Llamados’ spot in the Final Four.

“SMB looks invincible, strong in every position. But we are convinced that we can compete for as long as we play as a team and figure out their weaknesses early in the series,” he added.

Import Tony Washam, a replacement for Clif Brown, boosts the Llamados hopes for another Finals appearance.

“We got a new lease on life with the coming of Tony. He came in at the right place at the right time,” said Gregorio.

Washam, whose father Tony Sr. played for Ginebra in 1984, suited up in the last two games of the quarterfinal series, highlighting his effort with a season-best 49 points in Game 5.

“What you have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg,” boasted Gregorio, contending his import has lots more to show.

Like TnT, SMB is also coming off a three-week break, prompting SMB coach Siot Tanquingcen to be concerned going into Game 1 of their series with Derby Ace.

“Yes, we had an advantage of being rested. However, you can only do so much in practice to simulate actual game,” Tanquingcen said.

That being the case, he hopes the Beermen could come in and pick up the pace of their game several notches higher to playoff level. (DBC)

Derby Ace in semis

(From Business Mirror)

B-MEG Derby Ace foiled Rain or Shine’s gallant bid with a pulsating 105-100 overtime win on Sunday night to advance into the semifinal round of KFC-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Cup at the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum.

Import Tony Washam was a point shy of reaching the 50-point plateau and came up with two crucial defensive stops in the extra period to help the Llamados win Game Five and wrap up the best-of-five quarterfinal series, 3-2.

The victory sent the Philippine Cup champion to a best-of-seven semifinal duel against San Miguel Beer.

“It’s really an incredible series. Every time we face Rain or Shine, they always push us to the limit,” said Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio, who admitted this was the toughest and most emotional in his more than 300 games in the league.

Washam, son of former Gilbey’s Gin import and namesake Tony Washam, was impressive on both ends and finished with a season-high 49 points, including six-of-nine treys.

Washam’s efforts were complimented by timely contributions from Rafi Reavis and Nino Canaleta in the final five minutes, where he was held to just a free throw.

Washam blocked a driving Sol Mercado and drew an offensive foul from Eddie Laure that set the tone for the Llamados’ domination in overtime, where they scored the first six points for a 96-90 lead.

Rain or Shine last threatened at 98-100 on Gabe Norwood’s drive. Reavis had huge putback and James Yap sealed the victory for the No. 3 seed Derby Ace with two free throws, 104-100, 10.1 ticks left.

Rico Maierhofer added 17 points, 15 he made in the first half, and together with Washam’s 27 markers, Derby Ace took a commanding 58-40 halftime.

Mercado took charge in the second half and almost single-handedly sent his team to the next round.

“Sol was an incredible athlete tonight,” said Gregorio on the Rain or Shine sophomore guard, who was limited to just one point in the first half but exploded for 22 in the third and fourth periods.

Mercado’s triple gave the Elasto Painters an 86-84 advantage, their first taste of the lead since 5-3 early in the first, with 2:45 left in regulation.

Rain or Shine clung to an 89-87 lead, when Canaleta hit a crucial three-pointer to put to give the lead back to the Llamados, 90-89, 47.3 seconds left.

Mercado had the chance to give the lead back to the Elasto Painters but split his free throws off Canaleta’s foul, 90-all.

Washam muffed a hurried three-pointer in the next Derby Ace possession and Mercado missed a step-back triple to send the game to overtime.

Norwood led Rain or Shine with 25 points, while Mercado added 23. Rod Nealy had a quiet 12 points as he took only eight shots and converted half of them.

SAN MIGUEL BOOKS SEMIS SEAT

(From PBA)

In the end, powerhouse San Miguel Beer still took the shortcut to the semifinal round, overcoming a bumpy ride entering the homestretch of the elimination round.

The second wind SMB gotten on the return of Gabe Freeman carried the team all the way to a playoff win over B-MEG Derby Ace Friday night, allowing the Beermen to join the Talk n Text Tropang Texters in an early entry into the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference Final Four.

The Beermen withstood the Llamados, 88-83, in a furious battle at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, thus, getting tremendous boost in their title-retention campaign.

They will take at least a two-week rest before resuming their defense of the championship of they won over the Barangay Ginebra Kings last year.

San Miguel is looking to become the first team to successfully defend a title since Red Bull topped the Commissioner’s Cup in years 2001 and 2002.

“This is God’s blessing. But I would say the same, we are going to be judged at what happens after the conference,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“That’s the reality we have to face. The challenge is how to handle the break – one thing we didn’t handle well in the last conference,” added Tanquingcen, recalling their failed bid in the most recent Philippine Cup after an outright semis passage.

Freeman got away with a double-double game with 20 points and 19 rebounds while Dondon Hontiveros rifled in three triples and finished with 21 points as San Miguel stopped Derby Ace on its tracks, relegating the Llamados to no. 3 playoff seeding in the process.

The Llamados, the Philippine Cup rulers, will play the wildcard survivor in a best-of-five quarterfinal series.

Jay Washington and Alex Cabagnot also played big for the Beermen as they ended the Llamados’ six-game run while stretching their own streak to three games since Freeman’s return from a two-game layoff.

James Yap erupted for 28 points while Nino Canaleta and Rafi Reavis combined for 26 points and 15 rebounds but the Llamados got minimal numbers from import Cliff Brown.

The Derby Ace import struggled for nine points and 10 rebounds and had a hard time defending against his prolific SMB counterpart.

Still, the Llamados put up a tough fight, rallying from early double-digit deficits to engage the Beermen in a fierce battle in the payoff period.

Hontiveros banged away six points in the final minute helping SMB finally hurdle Derby Ace’s never-say-die stand.

The hard-nosed Cebuano player and Washington exerted much effort early as the Beermen gained double-digit spreads right in the first period.

They combined for four triples and a total of 25 points in the first half which went in their favor at 42-31. (SB)

The scores:

San Miguel 88 - Hontiveros 21, Freeman 20, Washington 19, Cabagnot 14, Santos 6, Seigle 5, Yeo 3, Villanueva 0, Miranda 0, Racela 0, Ildefonso 0, Pena 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 83 - Yap J. 28, Canaleta 16, Reavis 10, Brown 9, Maierhofer 6, Yap R. 6, Pingris 4, Simon 2, Allado 2, Artadi 0.

Quarters: 23-13, 42-31, 61-58, 88-83

B-Meg beats Barako, sets playoff for automatic semis

(From PBA Online)

B-Meg Derby Ace has set a date with San Miguel Beer for the last automatic semifinal seat after trouncing Barako Coffee, 106-100, Sunday night in the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Cliff Brown tallied a personal-high 43 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in his best game yet to power the Llamados to their 6th straight win and tie the Beermen at the number 2 slot with a 12-6 slate.

Derby Ace and San Miguel collide on Friday for the remaining automatic semis spot.

"We're doing a good job for the last 6 games. Unfortunately, it's not enough to secure us the number 2 seed," said Llamados head coach Ryan Gregorio.

James Yap added 18 points while Nino Canaleta and Roger Yap netted 13 and 10 markers, respectively, for the Llamados.

Sammy Monroe led the Coffee Masters with 37 points to go along with his 8 assists but Barako Coffee missed the next round of the tournament for the 4th straight conference.

The wards of coach Junel Baculi ended their campaign with a league worst 3-15. - www.abs-cbnnews.com

Scores:

Derby Ace 106 � Brown 43, Yap J. 18, Canaleta 13, Yap R. 10, Maierhofer 7, Artadi 6, Simon 5, Pingris 4, Adducul 0, Reavis 0, Allado 0.

Barako Coffee 100 � Monroe 37, Isip 14, Hubalde 13, Reyes 10, Gaco 7, Alonzo 6, Najorda 5, Vergara 4, Juntilla 3, Dimaunahan 1, Wainwright 0.

Quarter scores: 29-22, 58-48, 82-67, 106-100.

B-MEG GAINS SHARE OF 2ND WITH CRUCIAL WIN OVER KINGS

(From PBA)

Cliff proving himself to be the better Brown than Denham was a key factor as B-MEG Derby Ace stayed on a hot streak and in strong contention for an outright entry in the PBA Fiesta Conference Final Four.

The Derby Ace import outplayed his Barangay Ginebra counterpart as the Llamados whipped the Kings, 101-83, Wednesday to catch up with the San Miguel Beermen at second place with three play dates left in the double-round elimination phase.

Cliff came through with 24 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and two blocks, and got the needed support from his teammates as they notched a fifth straight win and drew level with the Beermen at 12-5.

Before a good Wednesday crowd at the Araneta Coliseum, Purefoods showed up Ginebra, foiling the Kings’ third shot at an outright seat in the quarterfinal round.

The Kings closed out with a 9-9 record, within reach of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (7-9) and the Coca-Cola Tigers (7-9).

“It took a while for us to get going but I think we’ve got in at the right moment,” said Cliff Brown.

“The best thing about our situation is the reality that we’re in control of our fate,” said coach Ryan Gregorio for his part.

“We’ve primed ourselves to figure prominently in the elimination round. We’ll not relax and be complacent in our last game against Barako,” added Gregorio, promising his team would go flat-out against the Coffee Masters Sunday for a shot either at an outright semis berth or a playoff for an automatic semis entry.

San Miguel and Alaska Milk (11-6) are the other teams still in pursuit of the No. 2 spot. The two teams clash in a pivotal tiff Saturday in Dumaguete.

Derby Ace outscored Ginebra in all quarters as the Llamados steadily pulled away in duplicating their 95-82 spanking of the Kings in their previous match on May 9.

James Yap and Nino Canaleta bombed away big treys as the Llamados stepped up their attack in the final canto.

Yap went 4-of-8 from the three-point area and finished with 21 points and six rebounds while Canaleta sank all of his three three-point tries and ended up with 11 points, two rebounds and one assist.

Denham Brown was good for only 15 points with the entire Ginebra team struggling with a 36.6-percent field goal shooting.

The Kings figure in a playoff for the No. 5 spot should either the Tigers and the Elasto Painters sweep their last two games. (SB)

The scores:

B-Meg Derby Ace 101 - Brown 24, Yap J. 21, Canaleta 11, Pingris 11, Artadi 7, Simon 6, Adducul 6, Yap R. 5, Reavis 4, Allado 4, Maierhofer 2.

Ginebra 83 - Brown 15, Hatfield 15, Caguioa 12, Villanueva 11, Salvacion 6, Helterbrand 6, Wilson 5, Cortez 5, Miller 4, Tubid 2, De Ocampo 2.

Quarters: 26-23, 47-37, 72-57, 101-83

B-MEG BATTLES GINEBRA AS LLAMADOS RESUME SEMIS DRIVE

(From PBA)

B-Meg Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio and the Llamados know what they are into when they step on the court on Wednesday to face the Barangay Ginebra Kings.

They know exactly the significance of this rematch. And they are well aware that it may be the turning point of their campaign in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference.

“It is truly an important game for us in our pursuit to grab the second seat,” said Gregorio referring to the second outright semifinal berth.

League leader Talk N’ Text has clinched the first of two coveted seats up for grabs with its 14-3 (win-loss) record while leaving defending champion San Miguel (12-5), Derby Ace (11-5) and possibly Alaska (11-6) battling it out for the number two berth.

The fact that they still control their destiny keeps Gregorio and his troops upbeat knowing they have an opportunity to meet their goal.

Derby Ace dominated the Kings, 95-82, in their first encounter last May 9 but Gregorio is anticipating a much tougher challenge this time around citing Ginebra’s retooled roster.

Their four-game winning streak though provides the Llamados with a great confidence boost in their chase for the crucial “W” that would earn them a second place tie with the Beermen and keep them in the hunt for the coveted second Final 4 seat.

“We are upbeat knowing that our fate is still within our control. But we have to take care of our business,” Gregorio said. “We have primed ourselves up for this opportunity and we will certainly make sure that tremendous effort is rendered in our game against Ginebra.”

Game time is set at 7:30 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum. It follows the 5 o’clock match between Talk N’ Text and Barako Energy Coffee.

The Coffee Masters (4-13) are aiming for their first back-to-back wins in the conference to stay in contention for a wild card spot.

After disappointing setbacks to Coca-Cola (7-9) and Air21 (4-13), Ginebra coach Jong Uichico looks at the rematch as “a game that will define his team’s chances.”

He didn’t elaborate but the Kings could be in danger of slipping into the wild card phase with a third consecutive loss.

Gregorio said Ginebra’s retooled roster is comparable to the talent of the mighty Texters and the awesome Beermen and the Kings will always be a dangerous foe especially because they also badly need a victory.

“So I expect nothing short of a playoff kind of game,” Gregorio said.

The Derby Ace coach said Ginebra presents tremendous challenge because it’s a team packed with explosive scorers and scorers who can just light up.

“So it’s imperative that our team defense must be solid the whole game,” Gregorio said. (DBC)

Cage exec unperturbed on possible P'foods sale

(From GMA News)

The possible sale of Purefoods, the food company owned by San Miguel Corporation, to another giant firm won't have major effects on B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados' campaign in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

That's unless the buyer will acquire the lock, stock and barrel of the well-known food company.

Rene Pardo, B-Meg Derby Ace's board governor and incoming PBA chairman, told GMANews.TV that there are a lot of things to consider in determining whether the franchise will remain with the present owner or be shipped out to another taker.

"It depends if the buyer will acquire Purefoods via total buyout or if the company buys majority of the stock and expressed interest on acquiring the team as well," said Pardo.

B-Meg Derby Ace is an animal feed-product under San Miguel/Purefoods company. San Miguel/Purefoods is the food subsidiary of its mother company San Miguel Corporation.

B-Meg Derby Ace's franchise is under the San Miguel/Purefoods company, according to Pardo.

Curiuosly, Pardo has been from one company to another.

He was Purefoods' team manager when the company, including the basketball team, was acquired by San Miguel Corporation in 2001.

The acquisition of Purefoods gave San Miguel the luxury of owning three teams in the PBA with Ginebra being the other sister squad.

Purefoods, though, in the past 10 season was not given voting rights, until recently when a move initiated by outgoing PBA chairman Lito Alvarez allowed the well-known processed meat producer.

But even if a company acquires the lock, stock and barrel of Purefoods, the new firm will still need approval of the board, if in case it wants to join the PBA.

"The PBA is an association and we act collectively. Just like in the homeowners association, not everyone can simply put an establishment and reside there. If a regular home owner complained and told others he doesn't want to be your neighbor, then it will certainly need the approval of others," said Pardo.

URC to takeover Purefoods?
One among the companies which expressed interest in acquiring Purefoods is JG Summit Holdings, the diversified conglomerate built by business tycoon John Gokongwei.

A highly-placed source from JG Summit Holdings told GMANews.TV that there are ongoing negotiations between their company and San Miguel.

The source added that the enterprise value of Purefoods is $1.8-billion in estimates made by San Miguel. JG Summit is planning to include Purefoods as a part of their processed meat division for Universal Robina Corporation (URC).

"On a scale of 1 to 10, I think we're still halfway," said the source. "JG Summit really wants to have control of the Purefoods company, not just a share of stock, but total control of the company."

Whether URC will express interest in acquiring Purefoods' basketball team if ever it buys the company from San Miguel remains to be seen.

"Who knows, it might use the basketball franchise as a way to promote its lesser known brands if ever the sale of Purefoods will push through," said the source.

The Gokongwei group, which owns the Consolidated Food Corporation (CFC) that produces Great Taste and Presto among others, is one of the founding members of the PBA.

The group then changed CFC to URC, which is named after Gokongwei's eldest daughter Robina.

In 1992, Gokongwei sold its PBA franchise to Sta. Lucia Realty owned by Exequiel Robles, leaving the PBA with only San Miguel Beer as the only pioneering member of the league.

Llamados Back On Track

(From PBA)

After coming out short the last time versus Alaska Milk, B-MEG Derby Ace had little improvement, barely hanging on at the finish against Sta. Lucia.

The Llamados squeezed out a 73-66 win over the Realtors and thus regained a piece of third place in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome Wednesday night.

“It was an ugly win but still something positive in terms of the outcome. We couldn’t play that way up against tough teams,” said Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio after the game.

“Nuong bumaba ng sais, hindi na ako makahinga, Good thing, the guys made the shots when we needed it badly,” Gregorio added.

“I was telling the guys, we have to cut down on our errors and we have to make the free shots. True enough, we went under siege committing errors and missing free shots.”

The Llamados eventually eased out the pressure as KG Canaleta and James Yap canned in three fouls shots making it 73-64 with 40 seconds left to play.

Repeating their 86-79 win over the Realtors in their previous tiff, the Llamados climbed back to joint third with the Ginebra Kings at 8-5.

The Realtors suffered a fourth straight loss after the departure of Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes, and the team reeled further down the chart at 4-9.

Derby Ace made it four-zero versus Sta. Lucia in the season.

Gregorio, however, insisted he’s far from satisfied with their performance.

“We can’t just relax, be comfortable and just coast along. We’re up against San Miguel next. We can’t survive playing this kind of basketball,” said Gregorio.

The Realtors waged a fierce chase at crunch time, smelling blood as Derby Ace import Cliff Brown fouled out with over two minutes left to play.

Sta. Lucia had come within six at 64-72 when Canaleta and Yap strung up three straight free throws to hold off the Realtors.

Yap knocked in three triples and finished with a team-high 21 points that went with one rebound, one assist and one block against one turnover.

Paul Artadi, with 18 points, was the only other Llamado who wound up with a double-digit output in the low-scoring contest.

Anthony Johnson led the losing team with 23 points and 14 rebounds. (SB)

The scores:

B-Meg Derby Ace 73 - Yap J. 23, Artadi 18, Canaleta 8, Brown 7, Reavis 7, Maierhofer 6, Pingris 2, Yap R. 2, Allado 2, Simon 0, Adducul 0.

Sta. Lucia 66 - Johnson 23, Escobal 12, Aljamal 7, Aquino 6, Daa 4, Misolas 4, Belasco 4, Ross 2, Menor 2, Custodio 2, Espinas 0, Omolon 0, Belano 0.

Quarters: 25-14, 45-30, 52-42, 73-66.

TENORIO LIFTS ALASKA PAST B-MEG IN OT; ACES GAIN SHARE OF 3RD

(From PBA)

The rematch of the Aces in the PBA Fiesta Conference elimination round went down with LA Tenorio laying down the biggest hand in the end.

Tenorio came through with a personal conference best of 26 points, including a huge four-point binge inside the last 2.5 seconds of overtime as the Alaska Milk Aces survived the B-MEG Derby Ace Llamados, 99-97, in a gripping battle at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Friday night.

The peppery point guard and forward Joe De Vance took charge with import Diamon Simpson fouling out with 3:02 left to play, saving Alaska from what could have been a sorry loss in the contest.

James Yap, playing off-the-bench for the second straight game due to a bruised knee, knocked in a triple with 18 seconds left in regulation play paving the way for overtime.

The Aces blew a chance to win it in regulation on misses by Tenorio and Simpson in the dying seconds.

But Tenorio himself saved the day for his team, enabling the Aces to repeat over the Llamados and force a standoff between themselves at fourth place with identical 7-5 win-loss records.

The Aces were teetering on the brink when Tenorio banged away a three-pointer giving Alaska a 98-97 edge with 2.5 ticks left.

The Llamados then themselves sealed their fate as KG Canaleta committed a grievous error on the inbounds after a timeout.

Fouled right away, Tenorio coolly sank the front-end of his free throws then deliberately missed the second one as Alaska bounced back from a loss to Barangay Ginebra on a road game in Cebu Saturday.

“What a game! It’s hard to describe. It can’t get more exciting than that,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone after the game.

“It’s a battle between two Aces and we’re fighting tooth and nail. They didn’t back down and we didn’t back down. We just squeezed through,” Cone added.

Yap went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the stripe as he led a charge that got the Llamados to within five, 39-44, at halftime.

The Aces jumped the gun on the Llamados, building a 31-15 lead in the opening quarter.

Cliff Brown stepped up in the third quarter, firing 16 points as the Llamados drew level at 68-all.

Both teams went silent in a long stretch before Reynel Hugnatan scored on a semi-hook off Don Allado breaking the deadlock with almost four minutes gone in the final period.

The Aces and the Llamados engaged in a fierce battle to the finish with Simpson, Tenorio and Devance delivering the goods for Alaska and Brown and Yap starring for Derby Ace.

Simpson put in 29 points and 18 rebounds before heading to the showers ahead of the rest.

Tenorio also made six assists, five rebounds and two steals aside from 26 points while De Vance added 13 points and three rebounds.

Brown was in a zone, sizzling with 34 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Yap, despite his injury, scattered 22 points on top of four rebounds and three assists. (SB)

The scores:

Alaska 99 - Simpson 29, Tenorio 26, De Vance 13, Baguio 13, Dela CRuz 6, Thoss 5, Hugnatan 4, Cablay 3, Eman 0, Fonacier 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 97 - Brown 34, J. Yap 22, Allado 11, Yap R. 10, Canaleta 7, Pingris 7, Artadi 3, Simon 3, Timberlake 0, Maierhofer 0, Salvador 0, Reavis 0.

Quarters: 31-15, 44-39, 68-68, 87-87, 99-97

Llamados Back in Form, Tame Toothless Tigers

(From PBA Online)

Derby Ace put behind its harrowing blowout loss at the hands of Talk `N Text a few days ago with a big 104-91 beating of Coca-Cola Sunday night in the PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Cliff Brown finished with a double-double of 18 points and 12 rebounds, while five others also finished in double digits for the Llamados in a balanced scoring that hardly showed the effects of that 114-89 defeat inflicted on them by the Tropang Texters last Wednesday.

The 25-point rout was the worst for the franchise since an 88-60 loss to Alaska on May 31, 2008 during the Fiesta Cup eliminations.

"It's nice to win especially after that deflating loss to Talk ‘N Text," said Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio. "We were able to flex enough muscle despite the injury bug."

James Yap shrugged off a swollen left knee and contributed 14 points off the bench, while Roger Yap led all local scorers with 16, including 3-of-4 from three-point range, and Peter June Simon 15 for the Llamados, who scored their highest output thus far this conference.

The reigning Philippine Cup champion again tied Barangay Ginebra for third place with its seventh win in 11 games.

"Medyo tight `yung tuhod ko, pero kailangan din talagang maglaro," said James Yap, who suffered the injury after colliding with JR Quinahan in their last game against the Tropang Texters.

The loss was another letdown for the skidding Tigers.

Coke (4-8) has now lost seven games in a row and dropped eight of its last nine games despite getting 28 points and 12 rebounds from Rashad Bell and 26 from Gary David.

For a while, the Tigers appeared ready to shed off their losing ways after storming to a 29-18 lead.

But then, the Llamados held the Tigers to just 12 points in the second period, before unleashing a telling run in the third that put them in control of the match.

Brown had six points and Pingris four as the Llamados uncorked a 15-3 blast, turning a two-point deficit to a 54-44 advantage, which they never relinquished.

"We just have to keep on going," said Tigers' coach Bo Perasol. "I told them in the fourth quarter na kung ‘matalo man tayo dito it's not the end of the world. Even if we land in the wild card, we just have to remember that Rain or Shine almost beat the champion last conference (Purefoods)." - JVP/RCJ, GMANews.TV

Scores:

Derby Ace 104 - Brown 18, Yap R. 16, Simon 15, Yap J. 14, Canaleta 12, Pingris 12, Artadi 9, Salvador 4, Reavis 4, Maierhofer 0, Allado 0.

Coke 91 - Bell 28, David 26, Gonzales 11, Espino 10, Taulava 5, Mendoza 5, Cruz 4, Rizada 2, Allera 0, Macapagal 0, Calimag 0, Singson 0.

Quarterscores: 18-29, 39-41, 77-67, 104-91.

Rampaging Texters Trump Llamados' Defense

(From PBA Online)

Offense trumped defense as Talk 'N Text routed Derby Ace, 114-89, as the Tropang Texters extended their winning streak to seven in the PBA Fiesta Cup Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Texters poured in 17 unanswered points in a sizzling third quarter run to rip apart a game of changing fortunes in the opening half.

That mighty show of offense had coach Chot Reyes and his boys suddenly turning a close one-point game into a 67-49 edge with just seven minutes gone by in the third.

The lead eventually ballooned to a 90-64 spread on a Mac Cardona three-pointer with 9:33 left in the game as Talk 'N Text coasted the rest of the way to improve its record to 8-2 overall and stay in solo second.

The total output of the Tropang Texters was the most the Llamados allowed their opponents this conference after holding other teams to a league best 77.0 points average per game.

Except in the second period when Derby Ace limited them to just 18 points, the Tropang Texters scored at least 31 markers in each of the three quarters.

"Hopefully, this gives us a glimpse of our potential," declared Reyes later in the post-game interview. “If the players come out and don't worry about playing time and focus on what they can contribute, then it's a good situation."

Cardona led the Tropang Texters with 23 points, Harvey Carey had 16, Shawn Daniels and Jimmy Alapag added 15 each, while three others - Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes and Ranidel De Ocampo - were also in double figures in a balanced scoring for the telecommunication franchise.

"Coming into this ballgame, all we talked about is to come out with a great performance. We knew Purefoods is a champion team," added Reyes.

The loss was the worst this conference for the Llamados, snapping their three game winning run.

They fell to 6-4 in a three-way tie for third to fifth places with Barangay Ginebra and Alaska.

James Yap scored a personal conference-high of 28 points for Derby Ace, 17 of them in the second period when the Llamados battled back from a 15-point deficit and trim the gap to 50-49 at halftime.

But the former league most valuable player went cold at the height of that big Talk 'N Text third quarter run and wouldn't buy a basket until the final minute of the period when the Tropang Texters were already in full control, 81-60.

"In the third quarter, James Yap tired a little, but that's big for us," said Reyes.

Cliff Brown carried the fight for the Llamados as the energetic import had 22 points and 18 rebounds. He scored all of the team's first nine points in the second half until Yap's side jumper broke the ice for the Derby Ace locals. - GMANews.TV

Scores:

Talk 'N Text 114 - Cardona 23, Carey 16, Daniels 15, Alapag 15, Williams 14, Reyes 11, De Ocampo 11, Dillinger 3, Waters 2, Castro 2, Aban 2, Yee 0, Quinahan 0.

Derby Ace 89 - Yap J. 28, Brown 22, Artadi 9, Pingris 9, Maierhofer 7, Timberlake 4, Canaleta 4, Simon 4, Yap R. 2, Adducul 0, Reavis 0, Allado 0.

Quarter scores: 32-17, 50-49, 81-63, 114-89.

Yap Also Victorious in PBA Weekly Honors Race

(From GMA News)

James Yap, Noynoy Aquino's walking billboard in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), also chalked up a small victory just a day after his brother-in-law is assured of leading the country in the next six years.

The former most valuable player (MVP) Yap, the B-Meg Derby Ace's main offensive weapon, flashed his old fiery form when he led the Llamados to two straight wins that brought them back into third place in the Fiesta Cup standings.

The former UE King Warrior, who is married to Aquino's younger sister Kris, showed no signs of the strenuous effects of joining the campaign sorties of his brother-in-law when he logged in MVP-like numbers in Derby Ace's consecutive victories against Rain or Shine (75-67) and Barangay Ginebra (95-82) to earn the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honors.

Yap averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.0 assist in Derby Ace's two victories as the Llamados, with their 5-3 win-loss record, placed third behind San Miguel (8-1) and Talk 'N Text (6-2).

The 6-foot-3 swingman scored 20 points behind an 8-of-19 field goal shooting against the Elasto Painters and followed that up with 17 points (6-of-15) in the Llamados' victory over the Kings.

Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio said that with the elections over, Yap can now focus his attention and energy in playing.

"It is a relief to see him play his usual game," said Gregorio. "I am impressed with the way he was able to focus amidst all the distractions. He scored well in our last two games and resulted to nice victories against quality opponents."

Llamados Shackle Down Painters To Snap Alarming Skid

(From PBA Online)

The no. 1 defensive team held Rain or Shine to its lowest output this season, scoring a runaway 75-67 win Wednesday night in the main game of a PBA Fiesta Cup doubleheader at the Araneta Coliseum.

Three days after bowing to league leader San Miguel Beermen, 80-72, in a game that saw them lost grip of an 18-point lead following a fourth quarter meltdown, the Llamados turned on the table against the ElastoPainters this time, holding them to the fewest franchise score ever since entering the league in 2006.

The Elasto Painters had actually just scored 62 points with only a minute left in the low-scoring game, but avoided the ignominy by scoring five more points on a Jervy Cruz basket underneath and a perfectly set-up Jai Lewis three-pointer.

Still, the output was two less from the 69 points they scored in a similar losing cause against, ironically, Purefoods, last November 15 during the Philippine Cup.

James Yap and import Cliff Brown combined for 38 points and instigated a closing 8-0 run to give the Llamados a 73-62 lead entering the final two minutes.

Derby Ace improved to 4-3 in a tie for third place with Barangay Ginebra, a 101-100 winner over Air21 earlier.

James Yap topscored with 20 points and became the latest member of the league's 5,000-point club.

"I didn't practice for two days because of a naggin pain on my thigh," said Yap, recalling how he banged his leg against Brown during the Llamados' last outing against San Miguel.

"I was given a rest by the coaching staff. The rest has helped a bit somehow as it eased the pain a bit."

Brown added 18 points and 19 rebounds for Derby Ace, which led by as much as 55-41 in the third period.

Rain or Shine suffered its second straight loss (3-4), but made a big comeback from that 15-point deficit behind the hustle and scoring of Jireh Ibanes and Ryan Arana bridging the end of the third period and early into the fourth.

Sol Mercado's driving lay up, with a foul to boot from Marc Pingris, brought the Elasto Painters to within 62-65. Mercado however, missed the bonus free throw.

But Rain or Shine wouldn't score again in the next five minutes, allowing the Llamados to put together a run of their own that sealed the outcome of the match. - RCJ, GMANews.TV

Scores:

Derby Ace 75 - Yap J. 20, Brown 18, Maierhofer 9, Timberlake 7, Canaleta 6, Yap R. 5, Adducul 4, Allado 4, Reavis 2, Artadi 0, Pingris 0.

Rain or Shine 67 - Lewis 14, Norwood 9, Mercado 9, Cruz 8, Ibanes 6, Reyes 5, Hrabak 5, Arana 4, Chan 3, Tang 2, Laure 2, Arellano 0, Telan 0.

Quarters: 22-17, 39-31, 61-52, 75-67

No Stopping the Beermen

Team	W	L	PCT
San Miguel	7	1	0.875
Talk N Text	6	2	0.750
Coca-Cola	4	4	0.500
Rain or Shine	3	3	0.500
Ginebra	3	3	0.500
Derby Ace	3	3	0.500
Alaska	3	3	0.500
Sta. Lucia	3	4	0.429
Barako Energy Coffee	2	6	0.250
Air21	1	6	0.143

(From PBA)

There’s still no stopping San Miguel although the Beermen battled without an import almost half of the way versus the B-MEG Derby Ace Llamados Sunday.

With Olsen Racela and Joseph Yeo providing the spark and energy coming off the bench in the third quarter, tournament leader San Miguel fought back from 18-points deficits and upended B-MEG Derby Ace, 80-72, in the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Jay Washington, Arwind Santos and Alex Cabagnot put the finishing touches as San Miguel made it six in a row to improve its overall win-loss record to 7-1.

For the second straight game, Washington put in a personal season best with 25 points. Santos and Cabagnot scored 10 points each, combining for 12 in the fourth quarter.

The Llamados failed to sustain a bristling first half and suffered a third loss in six starts.

“Olsen and Joseph Yeo made the big difference in this game. We’re given a big lift by our bench, especially Olsen. Ang gulo ng takbo ng laro namin noong una. Binigyan nya kami ng order and calmness noong pumasok sya,” said San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen.

“We settled down after Olsen and Joseph came in. And somehow, we’re able to carry that through,” Tanquingcen added.

Trailing by 18 at 41-59 and 43-61, the Beermen, after a long chase, finally surged ahead at 67-66 on a breakaway layup by Washington with 5:39 left to play.

Then Santos and Cabagnot took over, allowing the Beermen to even win with plenty to spare.

Committing four early fouls, Freeman played only 28 minutes and produced just 11 points and eight rebounds.

Nonetheless, the Beermen never gave up, riding high on the exploits of Washington, Santos, Cabagnot, Racela and Yeo as they spoiled Cliff Brown’s debut as new Derby Ace import.

“Brown has made Derby Ace an even more formidable rebounding power. Pati sya energetic din, bagay na bagay sa Derby Ace,” said Tanquingcen.

“But of course, medyo kakapa-kapa pa sya dahil first game pa lang. He’s not yet familiar with his teammates,” Tanquingcen added.

Brown, taking over from Lorenzo Wade, got 15 points and 14 rebounds in his initial game in the local pro league.

James Yap, Paul Artadi and Nino Canaleta played good music with Brown as the Llamados took control early on and sat on a 46-36 cushion at halftime. (SB)

The scores:

San Miguel 80 - Washington 25, Freeman 11, Santos 10, Cabagnot 10, Yeo 6, Ildefonso 6, Racela 5, Hontiveros 4, Pena 2, Villanueva 1, Miranda 0, Pennisi 0.

Derby Ace 72 - Yap J. 20, Brown 15, Artadi 8, Canaleta 6, Simon 6, Pingris 6, Allado 5, Maierhofer 4, Reavis 2, Yap R. 0.

Quarterscores: 18-24, 36-46, 54-63, 80-72