San Mig can wrap up series with a win today
Game today:
Araneta Coliseum
8 p.m.- San Mig vs. Barangay Ginebra
The semifinal series between sister teams Barangay Ginebra Kings and San Mig Coffee Mixers has been so close that no team has yet to win back-to-back games.
For the Coffee Mixers, it’s the perfect time to break the pattern as they gun for a championship seat when they play the Kings tonight in Game 6 of their race-to-four battle at the Araneta Coliseum.
San Mig is on the threshold of advancing to the finals after it pulled off a pulsating 79-76 win in Game 5 last Saturday.
Two-time MVP James Yap played the hero’s role for the Coffee Mixers, giving his team the lead for good by sinking a booming trifecta in the final 13.4 seconds.
It was some sort of a bounce-back game for Yap as he missed a three-pointer that could have sent the game to overtime in San Mig’s 76-79 Game 4 loss.
“In the old days, this team would go to Alvin (Patrimonio) at the post. Nowadays, we go to James (Yap),” San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone told pba.ph.
San Mig’s win was sealed when Barangay Ginebra point guard LA Tenorio committed crucial mistakes in the closing seconds.
After Yap’s three-pointer, Tenorio missed a lay-up in the next play. Justin Melton made it a three-pointer with a split free throw with five seconds left.
GOT CAUGHT UP
Normally a steady player, Tenorio made a huge blunder in the game’s final possession when he opted to drive to the basket instead of attempting a three-point shot.
“I wasn’t sure myself if we’re up by two or by three, and I can’t blame LA. He got caught up in the moment,” Cone said. “It’s hard to stay calm in that basketball game.”
Cone may be right, considering that Game 5 had five deadlocks and 14 lead changes.
The two protagonists have been alternating wins and losses in the series.
San Mig won Game 1, 85-83, before Ginebra charged back in Game 2 with a 93-64 rout.
The Coffee Mixers regained the upper hand via a 97-89 win in Game 3 before the Kings evened things up again by escaping with a close win in Game 4.
A win tonight will send the Coffee Mixers to the best-of-seven finals, where they will play early qualifiers Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Rain or Shine booked the first finals ticket after dispatching the Petron Blaze Booster in their separate semis duel, 4-1.
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