PBA Scores, News and Updates

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'Inexperienced, inconsistent' Ginebra will come out of loss a better team, says Tenorio

LENGTH and talent can make you the top team during the elimination round. But experience, desire, and consistency are factors needed to reach the Finals.

That’s exactly what Barangay Ginebra learned on Wednesday night when the top seed was eliminated from the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals following its 87-110 loss to San Mig Coffee in Game Seven of their series before a crowd of more than 24,000 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Star point guard LA Tenorio felt the Kings’ inconsistency and lack of aggressiveness were key factors in the series, especially in the do-or-die encounter where they fell into a huge hole early on - no thanks to the Mixers’ torrid shooting - and never recovered.

“We lacked aggressiveness. We lacked consistency, on defense most especially. We need to work on that day in and day out. We cannot afford to relax,” said Tenorio.

“Pag dating kasi ng playoffs, it’s not about X’s and O’s anymore. It’s about heart and who wants it more. And they wanted it more. Kita naman natin, (Marc) Pingris was everywhere, Rafi Reavis, too. James (Yap), it was his best game of the conference.”

Tenorio, who scored 16 points but missed all but two of his 12 three-point attempts, felt Ginebra was a team equipped to reach the Finals, but it was a team that was just inexperienced to make it far.

“We’re supposed to be in the Finals, but ganun talaga eh. Nakaka-disappoint pero ito yung mga time na bumalik sa tamang ginawa namin nung elimination and learn from it, come back stronger next conference.”

And it’s all about consistency for the Kings, who topped the elimination round but failed live up to their potential in the playoffs.

“We know how to win games. We know the winning formula. We just have to be consistent,” Tenorio said. “We just need games like that and experience this kind of loss para pag makarating uli kami dito, alam na namin ang feeling.”

From SPIN.ph

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Pingris says San Mig's vast experience enough to negate Ginebra's huge crowd support

FOR San Mig Coffee forward Marc Pingris, nothing beats experience especially under the grinding pressure of a do-or-die Game Seven.

Pingris believed the Mixers’ vast experience made the big difference in their 110-87 rout of top seed Barangay Ginebra Kings in their winner-take-all duel for the last Finals berth of the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday night at the bursting Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Mixers came through in the most important game of the best-of-seven series after shooting a high 60 percent from the field, while putting the clamps on a Kings side team that can’t seem to get going despite being energized by the pro-Ginebra crowd that made up the all-time league high of 24,883 live gate attendance.

“Sa practice, kinausap ko si Mark (Barroca), sabi ko sa kanya, dito naman tayo magaling at may experience na tayo sa ganitong laro (Game Seven),” Pingris recalled. “So focus lang kahit alam natin kanila (Barangay Ginebra) ang crowd.”

The many-time All-Defensive team member came through with an all-around performance of eight points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks, and two steals while courageously holding his own against Ginebra’s tall frontline of rookie center Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, and JR Reyes.

The 6-foot-5 Pingris, however, said the Mixers won’t have much time to savor the Game Seven win since they only have a day to prepare before plunging into action against familiar Finals foe in Rain or Shine on Friday at the start of the best-of-seven title series.

Pingris, though, hopes San Mig could finally put one against coach Yeng Guiao and the Elasto Painters, who beat the Mixers in a gripping seven-game series en route to winning the 2012 Governors Cup championship.

The title turned out to be the Asian Coating franchise’s first-ever in the league since joining the PBA in 2006.

“Dahil kay Lord nandito (Finals) na uli kami, pero may pagkakataon na kami bumawi kay coach Yeng, kasi tinalo nila kami dati sa Game Seven kay Marqus (Blakely),” Pingris said.

From SPIN.ph

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Slaughter lauds Pingris: 'He almost had like a friggin’ quadruple-double out there'

BEING the tallest player in the PBA today only takes you so far.

Greg Slaughter learned it the hard way on Wednesday night, when Barangay Ginebra was sent packing after losing to San Mig Coffee, 87-110, in Game Seven of their PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Although he tallied 12 points and one block, the 6-foot-11 ¾ rookie center was held to a conference-low three rebounds in 36 minutes during the do-or-die encounter.

The performance of this year’s top overall pick was obviously a far cry from that of the undersized yet big-hearted San Mig forward Marc Pingris, who registered 10 boards, eight points, seven assists, and four blocks.

“Pingris was dominant even though he wasn’t scoring much. He was doing everything else,” Slaughter said of the 6-foot-4 bruiser. “He almost had like a friggin’ quadruple-double out there.”

Slaughter felt he could’ve done better on the boards.

“It was just tough. At the start of the game, they wanted me to guard Pingris, so my first concern was getting a body on him, because he was very active on the boards.”

But Pingris also got a lot of help from fellow big men Rafi Reavis and rookie Ian Sangalang, who each had 15 points to back up the torrid shooting of guards James Yap and PJ Simon.

“We got outplayed in every position. Every piece of them was really clicking,” Slaughter said.

They may have underperformed, but Slaughter is confident the top-seeded Kings have a bright future ahead.

“We definitely are a young team, but I know everyone was expecting higher. It sucks that we didn’t meet those expectations, but I think we have all the tools to be a good team.”

“I’ll take a couple days off to reflect on this conference and talk to our vets and coaches to see where I can improve,” he concluded.

From SPIN.ph

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Tim Cone fumes over perception San Mig-Ginebra series was 'scripted' to go the distance: 'It's unfair, crazy'

SAN Mig coach Tim Cone has fumed over suspicion that their PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series against sister team Barangay Ginebra was 'scripted' to go the distance, saying the claims are both "crazy" and "unfair" to the two ballclubs.

Speaking a day after San Mig booked a place in the finals with a 110-87 victory in Game Seven, Cone said the coaches and players from both camps “worked their butts out" in the seven-game series, enduring the stress and tough grind that goes with it.

“One thing I could really say about that (scripted ending), if that’s really what happens, then it’s really unfair to all of us (Mixers and Gin Kings) who work our butts out,” Cone said on Thursday at the Sambokojin Restaurant in Eastwood City, Libis, Quezon City.

“We worked really so hard. We worked really, really hard on that Game Seven. I mean, the stress and the hardship and the heartbreak we had to go through in (losing) Game Six, which was really hard to swallow. We really had a hard time after that,” explained the multi-titled PBA mentor.

Cone recalled that in years past, back when a betting game called “PBA ending” was still popular among basketball fans, he was often approached by people and was asked what the final score would be in their next game.

Cone said his response was: “We don’t know about that stuff. The perception is out there, but it’s not something we believe in. It just takes away from the hard work that we gave.

“I think it’s just unfair for people to think and say that.”

PBA commissioner Chito Salud also weighed in, stressing that all 10 PBA teams, their coaches and all the players in the league have a full understanding of their responsibility and commitment to the basketball fans to play the game the way it should be played.

He, too, admitted being aware of the 'scripted' perception among fans.

“I’ve been asked that question several times and I want to answer that our teams understand their sacred responsibility to play the game and give the fans unmediated, pure action game in and game out, which our fans expect and demand,” said Salud.

“That is the norm, and everybody in the PBA understands it.

“Now, for any other team to fool around at that responsibility at the expense of their corporate image will be fool hardy. Let me leave it at that,” he added.

From SPIN.ph

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Marc Pingris has the last laugh on Belga as enforcers exchange verbal salvoes

THE match-up between two of the acknowledged best power forwards in the PBA today certainly serves as a major sidelight of the Philippine Cup Finals between Rain or Shine and San Mig Coffee.

All eyes will be on Beau Belga and Marc Pingris when the two remaining teams in the season-opening conference collide on Friday night at the start of their best-of-seven series at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Belga and Pingris came up big during the semifinals series that saw both of them step up their games and arrange yet another championship showdown between the Elasto Painters and Mixers, two years since their Governors Cup Finals duel which Rain or Shine won.

And the 6-foot-6 Belga was quick to fire the first salvo in what many sees as a bruising encounter between the two hard-banging forwards.

The former Philippine Christian University admitted watching the do-or-die match between San Mig and Ginebra primarily to look at his possible match-up in the Finals.

“Tinitignan ko kung sino ang babantayan ko, kasi ako makakalaro ko si Ping, babanatan ko yan,” he said jokingly, but a strong statement that definitely brought the house down during the press conference for the PBA Finals Thursday at the Sambokojin Restaurant in Eastwood City.

Ping had his head bowed when Belga made the remark, but noted what the undersized Rain or Shine big man just said.

“Good luck kay Beau kasi babanatan niya raw ako,” he said as the crowd laughed along.

“But seriously, good luck to both teams, especially sa dalawang coaches na ito na sobrang nirerespeto namin,” he said, referring to both coaches Tim Cone and Yeng Guiao.

“Bahala na silang gumawa ng game plan, kami namang mga players kung anong ibigay na assignment sa amin, 'yun lang naman ang ginagawa namin.”

Belga readily agreed with Pingris.

“Kami kasi sa Rain or Shine, may kanya-kanya kaming roles, may kanya-kanya kaming designation. So kung sino ang ibigay sa amin, yun ang paghahandaan namin,” said the Rain or Shine stalwart.

But in the end, it was Pingris who had the last laugh on Belga.

Asked what he thought would be the factors that could make the difference in the Finals, the son-in-law of popular TV host and comedian Vic Sotto was quick to cite two things.

“Kung sino lang talaga 'yung maglalaro ng may puso at kung sino talaga 'yung gutom yun ang mananalo,” he said as he threw a glance at the 'Extra Rice' enforcer. “Kaso, si Beau lagi palang gutom 'yan.”

From SPIN.ph

[sam012345]

Wowww... good game gins but better luck next time... ros and smc is a perfect match up at cgurado tau na magkakabakbakan...

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Rain or Shine coach not letting guard down as San Mig 'crams' for PBA Finals

RAIN or Shine is no doubt the hottest team in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup, having won 12 of its last 13 games on its way to yet another Finals appearance in the season-opening tournament.

Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao, though, is well aware the Elasto Painters will be up against a San Mig Super Coffee side that is in peak form after watching the Mixers clobber Barangay Ginebra, 110-87, in the deciding Game Seven of their semifinal series on Wednesday.

“Coach Tim (Cone) and San Mig, they are playing their best basketball at least in the last seven or eight games,” said the outspoken Guiao.

“They did not start out well in the conference, but again, that’s (reaching the Finals) a tribute to the resilience of the team and a tribute to the leadership of coach Tim because they found ways to win,” noted the fiery mentor.

Behind such backdrop, Rain or Shine face off with a banged-up San Mig squad starting on Friday night’s Game One of the best-of-seven title series at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Guiao is aware his team owns a 2-0 head-to-head match-up against San Mig during the elimination round, but he calls that record “irrelevant” come the Finals.

“Even if coach Tim said we had their number a couple of games, that’s really irrelevant. They’ve gotten better. It’s a whole new story,” explained Guiao.

“They gotten deeper. Ian Sangalang is making a contribution. Justin Melton is making a contribution. Marc (Pingris) is playing better than previously, and James (Yap) has gotten his shooting back,” he added.

On the other hand, Cone said Thursday was “cram” day for the Mixers, given the one-day window given them to prepare against a well-rested Elasto Painters – or about 24 hours since formally clinching a Finals berth.

“We haven’t had a chance to view the video or do anything. But they (Elasto Painters) are so cohesive that its gonna be a tough series,” said Cone, who has steered the San Mig franchise to its fourth Finals appearance over the last six conferences.

“Luckily, it’s a seven-game (Finals) series. Maybe, we could recover our bearings a game or two, but we’ll just try to prepare and then get the guys rested and hopefully, pull off some surprises tomorrow (Friday),” he added.

An added motivation for San Mig was its loss to Rain or Shine during the 2012 Governors Cup Finals that denied the team a back-to-back championship after winning the Commissioner’s Cup title that same season.

The championship was the first-ever for Rain or Shine since joining the league in 2006.

“We just hava a lot of respect for Rain or Shine.  They have had our number the last few times,” noted Cone.

“When we tried to go (for) back-to-back (titles), when we played Yeng then, we lost in Game Seven.  Now we’ll try to go back-to-back, and still, Rain or Shine is in front of us.”

From SPIN.ph

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Added a poll (see above), which team will win the 2013-2014 Philippine Cup?

So, which team do you think will win the series?

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Rain or Shine takes game one from San Mig on Lee's heroics (02/14/14)

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao drew a game-winning play that was executed pristinely by guard Paul Lee to escape with an 83-80 victory in their first clash with the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in the PLDT Home DSL Philippine Cup best-of-7 Finals on Friday, February 14 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

With 1.9 seconds remaining, Lee, who celebrated his 25th birthday today, received the inbound from Gabe Norwood as Lee lost his defender Alex Mallari and cut to the basket for the quick two points, 82-80, leaving only 0.9 on the clock.

Lee then made a technical free throw after the Mixers were called for excessive timeouts to notch the final score.

"It's just the first game, we got lucky at the end. We designed the play for Jeff (Chan) but it was Paul (Lee) who got open," Guiao explained.

Lee was quiet the entire game, finishing with only 6 points. But he made the basket that mattered.

"Struggle ako buong game pero di pa rin ako nag-give up. Alam kong may mangyayari," Lee said. "Birthday mo, so may mangyayari talaga. Now I can greet myself a happy birthday." (I was struggling all game but I did not give up. I knew something was going to happen. It's your birthday you know something's going to happen.)

The two 2012 Governors' Cup rivals battled toe-to-toe all throughout the match as Rain or Shine slowed down their pace, playing a defense-oriented game.

Pace picked up only towards the latter part of the fourth when Jeff Chan scored on two consecutive triples for a 6-0 swing favoring the Elasto Painters to give them a 78-76 edge with 2:40 left to play.

But James Yap, who turns 32 tomorrow, came up big in the clutch once again with 4 straight points on two long jumpers, both from almost the same spot on the floor and from an assist by Marc Pingris, to break the deadlock, 80-78, with 34.7 left.

But Rain or Shine would not be put away that easy as Jervy Cruz, who was still playing with a mask due to a broken nose, got a basket to trickle in following a Chan missed trey from the top of the key.

"For us it's important to keep the game fast. It's going to be a defensive series, low-scoring games like this one," Guiao said.

"Winning the first game just gives you the adjustment advantage."

Rain or Shine had only 7 fastbreak attempts for the entire game, from which they got 10 points.

But they were out-rebounded significantly by the Mixers, 55-44, and 20-10 on the offensive glass as the 2013 Governors' Cup champions tried hard to shun exhaustion. San Mig Coffee extracted 18 points from their second chances at the basket.

The Mixers, however, weren't able to buy baskets from 3-point land unlike in Game 7 of the semis. They shot a dismal 1-of-11 from that area for 9.1%.

For Mixers head coach Tim Cone, he commended Guiao for the "brilliant play" he designed that got them the victory.

"I feel really horrible," Cone said. "That was all on me. Yeng (Guiao) just made a brilliant play down the stretch. That game was all on me. I feel bad for the guys because they really had to dig deep to come out with the energy they did."

There will be only a one-day break for both teams as Game 2 will be played on Sunday, February 16.

Scores:

Rain or Shine (83): Belga 15, Cruz 15, Chan 8, Norwood 8, Rodriguez 7, Arana 6, Lee 6, Tang 5, Teng 5, Almazan 4, Quinahan 2, Nuyles 2, Tiu 0, Ibanes 0.

San Mig Super Coffee (80): Devance 17, Pingris 13, Simon 13, Yap 12, Barroca 9, Melton 6, Mallari 4, Reavis 4, Sangalang 2, De Ocampo 0.

Quarterscores: 20-15, 37-37, 60-59, 83-80.

From Rappler.com

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Cone blames self for San Mig's late breakdown: 'That game was totally on me'

SAN Mig coach Tim Cone blamed no one but himself for the Mixers’ 80-83 Game One loss to Rain or Shine on Friday night in Game One of the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Cone said it was just “uncharacteristic” for him as a veteran coach to burn his team’s last two timeouts in the final 22 seconds, which left the Mixers without one after Paul Lee hit a clean get-away layup off a perfect inbound pass by Gabe Norwood with nine-tenths of a second left to play.

“I really feel horrible,” said Cone after the game. “(Rain or Shine coach) Yeng (Guiao) made a brilliant play down the stretch, just a brilliant play.

"That game was totally on me. And I feel bad because the guys worked so hard, and they came off that tough Game Seven,” added the American coach, who is tied with the great Baby Dalupan for the most number of league championships won at 15.

Cone called successive timeouts in one play as the Mixers looked for the go-ahead basket after Jervy Cruz pulled Rain or Shine level, 80-all, with 22 seconds remaining.

As a result, he had no more timeouts after Lee hit the marginal basket, incurring a technical when he called one. Lee hit the technical free throw to widen Rain or Shine's lead to three, 83-80, with nine-tenths of a second left.

“I stepped out of character. I don’t know why I called a timeout. I allowed them  (Elasto Painters) to get the matchup they wanted on the floor (because of the timeout), and I just never do that (call timeouts immediately) but I don’t know why I did that this time,” rued the 56-year-old San Mig mentor.

“Then I saw the matchup they had there. I called another timeout. It’s just really not a good play, but he (Guiao) had the right play to call, and again it was brilliant.”

The American coach said he will have to spend much of Friday night reviewing what happened in the dying seconds of the Finals series-opener and try to map out a better game plan for Game Two.

"I’m gonna kick my hide all night tonight as I told the players but tomorrow (Saturday),we’ll wake up fresh and prepare for Game Two."

From SPIN.ph

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Painters hope to keep pace up against Mixers in Game Two of Philippine Cup finals

COACH Yeng Guiao hopes Rain or Shine would be able to keep the pace up against a San Mig Super Coffee side that likes to slow things down when the Mixers and the Elasto Painters collide in Game Two of the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Elasto Painters survived the Mixers' fourth quarter surge, relying on Paul Lee's get-away bank shot with nine-tenths of a second left en route to an 83-80 Game One win.

Rain or Shine now goes for a 2-0 series cushion against San Mig in their 4:30 p.m. encounter.

"For us, it is important to keep the game fast, but we also feel that the longer the series takes, the more advantage we have," Guiao said heading into Game Two.

The fiery mentor said defensively, Rain or Shine team will have to make sure they move sharper to avoid giving San Mig free trips to the foul line.

"They (Mixers) just got too many free throws. There were too many free throws given to the other side and we need to avoid that in our next game," noted Guiao, who is eyeing his first-ever All-Filipino title in
his 24-year PBA coaching career.

"I don't know if we just got careless with fouling or there were just some miscommunication on defense that forced us to get into bad positions," he added.

In Game One, Rain or Shine had 26 fouls, compared to San Mig's 16. The Elasto Painters' penchant for fouling sent the Mixers to the foul line 30 times.

Fortunately for Rain or Shine, the Mixers could only make 15, which allowed the Painters to escape with the three-point win in the opener.

Meanwhile, San Mig coach Tim Cone is confident that the Mixers could engage a see-saw match up with Rain or Shine as long as they hit their free throws and get key contributions from their second unit.

"I think we can play a better game than we played (in Game One). And hopefully, I can coach a better game down the series," said Cone, who took the blame in the series-opening loss after consuming his last two timeouts in the last 22 seconds, forcing the Mixers to give up a technical foul when they called for a timeout when Lee made the shot with 0.9 seconds to go in the game.

From SPIN.ph

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Revitalized San Mig clamps down on Rain or Shine to level PBA Finals at 1-all (02/16/14)

A REVITALIZED San Mig Super Coffee played with a lot of energy to turn back Rain or Shine, 80-70, and level their PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Finals series at 1-all on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Mixers, who are coming off a tiring seven-game series against Barangay Ginebra and a sorry loss in Game One, looked fresher compared to the Elasto Painters, pushing the ball at every opportunity while holding their rivals to just 24 points in the first half.

San Mig coach Tim Cone dug deep to his bench, getting quality minutes from Alex Mallari, Ian Sangalang and rookie guard Justin Melton to avenge the team’s 80-83 loss in the opener of the best-of-seven series.

“Our guys were surprisingly ready. They kind of surprised me,” said San Mig coach Tim Cone after the team finally cooled down a Rain or Shine team that had won 12 of 13 games dating back to the eliminations.

“I thought they were a little worn after Game One, like ubos. But we came out strong.”

Marc Pingris and Peter June Simon keyed the team’s first-half run, scoring at every turn while adding to the defensive effort that Cone wanted them to play in Game Two.

On the other hand, San Mig’s defense derailed Rain or Shine's usually effective running game, holding the Elasto Painters to just five points in transition.

“Our first group played with a really great energy and the second group defended the heck of everybody,” said Cone.

“We didn’t shoot that well in the first half, but we defended very well. We kept strong and kept our poise because we want to keep this thing to a best-of-five. Now, we’re able to do that,” he added.

Simon led the Mixers with 15 points and Joe Devance added 13 and seven boards while taking advantage of his mismatch with shorter defender Jeff Chan during the game.

James Yap added 13, banging in nine in a critical third period that allowed the Mixers to erect several 17-point spreads.

Chan was the lone bright spot for the Elasto Painters with 18 points, draining four three-point shots.

Game Three is set on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The scores:

San Mig 80 - Simon 15, Devance 13, Yap 13, Pingris 11, Sangalang 10, Mallari 8, Barroca 4, Reavis 4, Melton 2, Gaco 0.

Rain or Shine 70 - Chan 18, Cruz 8, Norwood 8, Belga 7, Lee 7, Almazan 5, Teng 5, Quinahan 3, Nuyles 3, Tang 2, Ibanes 2, Rodriguez 2, Arana 0, Tiu 0.

Quarterscores: 20-13, 37-24, 58-48, 80-70

From SPIN.ph

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San Mig Coffee steals Game 3 for 2-1 series lead (02/19/14)

MANILA, Philippines – The San Mig Super Coffee Mixers turned the tables on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday, February 19.

After Rain or Shine led by one point in each of the first 3 quarters (20-19, 39-38, 64-63), the Mixers decided that one point is all they really needed as well, as they escaped with the victory, 77-76, in Game 3 of the best-of-7 Finals of the PLDT Home DSL Philippine Cup at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

"That was a really tough one to be a part of," Mixers head coach Tim Cone said after the game. "Really shaking right now."

James Yap, who was in foul trouble early in the game, took over for San Mig midway in the third quarter, going on a 6-0 solo blitz to knock on Rain or Shine's doors, 54-52.

He later made a go-ahead stepback triple with 3:14 left in the third to make it a 55-54 lead. It was early in that canto when Yap picked up his fourth foul but he lasted until early in the fourth before he got called for his fifth foul. At which point, he had already done his job and his teammates continued what he had started.

Cone explained the decision to keep Yap in the game in spite of his foul trouble.

"The coaches were telling me, 'He got 4, he got 4.' And I said, you know what, what are we saving him for? We're gonna save him for another whole quarter again? Leave him out there and let him play, see if he can last."

He added: "He gave us enough of an edge that a lot of other guys just stepped up and filled the void."

Yap finished with 13 points and 5 rebounds. He poured 11 of his total points in the third.

With the game swinging back and forth, each of the teams needed someone to step up and make the baskets for some extra cushion.

Fortunately for the Mixers, they had Joe Devance providing 4 straight points near the 3-minute mark of the payoff period to stack a slightly comfortable 3-point edge, 77-74.

Jervy Cruz then scored his 10th point and the Painters' last two for the game with 1:25 left before Jeff Chan, who had 11 markers, heaved a shot from way out in the last 10 seconds, which only bounced off the rim.

"I felt for the first time tonight that our guys played tired," Cone said of his team, who played a lackluster first half but were able to build some semblance of momentum with PJ Simon and Alex Mallari conspiring for two triples as time wound down toward the break.

"I thought the two 3-point shots at the end of the half was crucial for us this game," Cone explained. "We weren't playing well in that first half and sometimes you have to make a couple of big shots to keep yourself in the game and we did that."

He added how the third canto was also pivotal for his team, whom he also said he let loose and trusted this time around, instead of reining them in for every play.

"They came out to start that third quarter and they were like a house on fire."

Their energy, perhaps fueled by adrenaline, also came at a cost as the Mixers were marred with 21 turnovers, allowing the Painters to extract 21 points from them. But rebounding went the way of San Mig, 49-39, with Rafi Reavis collaring 11 boards.

Rain or Shine's Paul Lee scattered points to end up with 23, but had only two markers in the final period.

Game 4 will be played on Friday, February 21 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Scores:

San Mig Super Coffee (77): Simon 14, Devance 13, Yap 13, Sangalang 12, Barroca 8, Pingris 7, Mallari 5, Reavis 4, Melton 1, De Ocampo 0.

Rain or Shine (76): Lee 23, Chan 11, Cruz 10, Almazan 7, Belga 6, Rodriguez 6, Quinahan 5, Norwood 4, Tiu 2, Ibanes 2, Tang 0, Teng 0.

Quarterscores: 19-20, 38-39, 63-64, 77-76.

From Rappler.com

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Mercado, Cabagnot headline 4-team, 7-man trade

MANILA, Philippines – The build-up is in full force.

The Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) approved Tuesday, February 18 a 7-man, 4-team trade as teams prepare for the mid-season Commissioner's Cup.

The trade involves the following teams: the San Miguel Beermen (formerly Petron Blaze Boosters), GlobalPort Batang Pier, Barako Bull Energy, and the Air21 Express.

Below is a summary of which team gets who, per the PBA's official Twitter account:

1. Barako Bull acquired: Leo Najorda, Jason Deutchman, San Miguel's 2016 and 2017 2nd round picks

2. GlobalPort acquired: Alex Cabagnot, Bonbon Custodio

3. San Miguel Beermen acquired: Sol Mercado, Rico Maierhofer

4. Air 21 acquired: Jonas Villanueva

Most notable among the trades is guard Alex Cabagnot from San Miguel being shipped to GlobalPort in exchange for another guard Sol Mercado.

Mercado, 29, has been a vital source of offense for the young GlobalPort team bannered mostly by rookies such as Terrence Romeo and RR Garcia.

The Filipino-American helped the Batang Pier reach the quarterfinals in the ongoing Philippine Cup conference norming 18.93 points, 4 rebounds and 5.07 assists as he played an average of 37.79 minutes per game, according to pba-online.net.

The 31-year old Cabagnot, who has been with the San Miguel franchise since 2010, averaged 12.38 points, 4.31 rebounds and 5.69 assists during the 2014 Philippine Cup, per pba-online.net. In their last conference bearing the Petron Blaze Boosters name, the franchise got ousted by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the semifinals that lasted only 5 games.

Cabagnot should provide veteran leadership and experience, especially in big games, to aid the young GlobalPort backcourt.

San Miguel and GlobalPort are two teams undergoing major facelifts with the Batang Pier hiring a new head coach in former University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers coach Pido Jarencio. (READ: End of an era: Pido Jarencio leaves UST, moves to GlobalPort)

San Miguel also has a new leader with previous head coach Gee Abanilla moving to the role of team manager as Biboy Ravanes has been appointed new head coach for the rebuilding franchise.

Ravanes is also said to continue working closely with consultant Todd Purves.

Meanwhile, former San Miguel team manager Siot Tanquingcen has now moved to Barako Bull as a coaching consultant.

The import-laden Commissioner's Cup will tip off on March 7.

From Rappler.com

[Zurca]

Cone goes easy on tired-looking Mixers heading into Game 4

SAN Mig Super Coffee coach Tim Cone isn’t thinking about seizing a commanding 3-1 lead against Rain or Shine in the PLDT myDSL-PBA Philippine Cup Finals, stressing he’s more concerned with maintaining the Mixers’ edge heading into Friday’s Game 4 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

For the first time in the best-of-seven series, Cone admitted the Mixers looked like a tired bunch in the wake of their pulsating 77-76 win in Game 3 Wednesday night that gave them a 2-1 lead.

The American mentor said practice on Thursday wasn’t hard given that fatigue appeared to be setting in among his starters, especially since the Mixers were coming off a seven-game semifinal series against Ginebra only last week.

“It’s the accumulation (of numerous games played in the conference). We did a little bit of practice before we did virtually nothing. Now, we had most of them video work and just talk,” Cone said heading to the team’s 8 p.m. setto with the Elasto Painters.

Cone, eyeing an all-time league record of 16 championships, said he will have to find ways to keep power forward Marc Pingris rested during the course of Game Four to ensure he stays fresh entering the home stretch.

 “I felt the guy that look tired to me is Ping. He looked really tired and I was trying to pull him out in-between breaks (in Game Three),” he said.

The 6-foot-5 Pingris, a many-time All-Defensive team member, has logged in 35 minutes in the first three games of the title series or about 3.1 minutes less than he averaged during the semifinals.

Meanwhile, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said Game Four is a critical point of the series, with the result dictating the team’s title chances.

“The adjustment advantage is gone and we just have to work doubly hard to get back into the series,” said Guiao.

“We’re still struggling with our shots (in Game Three).”

For Guiao, team defense remains important since the lapses the Elasto Painters committed in Game Three proved costly.

“We’ve just been a little loose on defense. So many ‘nakaw’ shots for them (Mixers) under the basket,” explained the fiery Rain or Shine mentor.

“We’re turning our heads from our men and it’s a mental lapse for a split second,” he added.

“I felt that we’re on the verge of breaking out, but suddenly they’re back on a short period of time.”

From SPIN.ph