Last night’s action from the
2013 PBA Governors’ Cup featured two close and entertaining games. In the first
game, the Barako Bull Energy leaned on the superb second half surge of Mike
Singletary to pull the rug from under the GlobalPort Batang Pier while, in the
second game, the San Mig Coffee Mixers got a big lift from James Yap to repulse
the Ginebra Gin Kings in the Manila
Clasico match.
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| James Yap outplayed Mark Caguioa in Manila Clasico. |
In the opener, Barako Bull
came back from being down big to beat GlobalPort, 98-97. One cannot say enough
about how big Mike Singletary was in this game. The former Texas Tech player
carried the Energy almost single-handedly, scoring 43 points, grabbing 12
rebounds, and handing out 7 assists in 44 minutes of play. In doing so, Singletary
outplayed his counterpart on the other team, Markeith Cummings, whose own
40-point production couldn't carry the Batang Pier to the win.
I loved how both Sol
Mercado and Gary David shot the ball in this game, but I hated how they turned
the ball over nearly as many times as the entire Barako Bull squad did. Mercado
and David paired up for 9 turnovers in all, which is half of GlobalPort's total
output and just 3 fewer than The Energy's. And, of course, they lost by just
one point. Conclusions, folks?
In other news, it looks
like the Pocket Rocket landed back on planet Earth after a couple of
scintillating performances. Emman Monfort logged 23 minutes in this one as the
starting PG, but he missed all 5 of his FGs, and scored all his 4 points from
the line. He did have 5 assists, but his production was limited in no small
part by his 5 fouls. Looks like he had a tough time matching up against the
burlier Sol Mercado of GlobalPort.
San Mig Coffee won this
round of Manila Clasico by beating Ginebra,
89-86. James Yap played one of his best games of the season so far, scoring 19
points on the strength of triples. He also hauled down 9 rebounds, had 2
assists, and a steal in 37 minutes of action as the Mixers leveled their
win-loss record at 3-3. Big Game James outplayed Ginebra's Mark Caguioa, who
scored just 6 points -- all from the free throw line -- in 33 minutes of play.
Yes, Caguioa admitted it
was his fault the Kings lost, and, well, I am happy he has an accurate sense of
how awful he did. The Spark missed all ELEVEN of his field goals in this one,
and though I applaud his efforts to grab 5 rebounds and assist on 6 baskets, I
daresay that those will never make up for NOT making any field goals. Caguioa's
main designation is to be Ginebra's best perimeter option, and he sucked big
time tonight. BIG TIME.
After losing three of
their first four games, the Mixers have put two wins back-to-back, and it looks
like they have a good chance of extending that streak in their last three elims
games -- against the inconsistent Alaska Aces, the unsure Barako Bull Energy
and Meralco Bolts. If the Mixers do finish at 6-3, then they have a more than
fair chance of securing a twice-to-beat edge for the quarterfinals.
Game Scores:
BARAKO BULL over GLOBALPORT, 98-97
Behind an impressive total
of 27 second-half points from Mike Singletary, Barako Bull fought back from an
18-point deficit in the third period to survive GlobalPort, 98-97, in the PBA
Governors’ Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Singletary finished with a
career-high 43 points, the third time he scored 40 or more as he powered the
Energy Colas to their fourth win in six games to climb into a tie for second to
third places with the Meralco Bolts.
For Barako Bull coaching
consultant Rajko Toroman, luck played a big role in his team’s win.
“We were more lucky
tonight. But they said luck is deserved by the courageous people. We played
with a big heart. It was almost impossible to win in this kind of a game as we
were not playing good for three quarters,” said Toroman.
“I think this conference
we deserve to be one game lucky,” he added.
Barako Bull’s luck started
in the fourth period as it outscored GlobalPort, 30-14.
Singletary and veteran
forward Danny Seigle conspired for 24 of the team’s total output in that
period.
Down 75-57, the two
players brought their team back with timely baskets.
A triple by Singletary and
a layup from Seigle shoved the Energy Colas within a basket, 83-85, with still
7:50 left.
It was a touch and go
affair from there.
Barako Bull finally got a
taste of the lead courtesy of Macapagal’s triple that put the Energy Colas up
by two, 96-94, 1:55 left in the game.
After Sol Mercado split
his charities, Emman Monfort was fouled after forcing a turnover at the other
end. His two free throws with 43.6 seconds left put the Energy Colas ahead,
98-95.
Mercado dished off Jay
Washington for an easy short stab in the next play and Barako Bull decided to
waste the time before taking a shot.
Singletary nearly lost the
ball to Washington, but recovered and nearly made a desperation triple as the
shot clock was winding down.
But GlobalPort decided not
to call a timeout and Mercado had to rush to the other end and had to throw a
desperation heave which nearly went in as time expired.
BAR 98 – Singletary 43, Macapagal 11, Seigle 10, Buenafe 9, Intal 7, Pennisi
5, Pena 5, Monfort 4, Cruz 2, Villanueva 2, Jensen 0, Weinstein 0, Gonzales 0.
GLO 97 – Cummings 40, Mercado 16, David 11, Taha 10, Washington 9, Belencion
4, Miller 3, Mandani 2, Salvador 2, Hayes 0, Thiele 0.
QS: 23-27, 43-55, 68-83, 98-97
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| Gary David sticks a little too closely to Keith Jensen. |
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| Markeith Cummings rises for the flush! |
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| Mike Singletary towed the Energy to the huge comeback win. |
SAN MIG COFFEE over GINEBRA, 89-86
San Mig Coffee bucked the
absence of Marc Pingris and Joe Devance with an inspired performance from James
Yap and another double-double showing from Marqus Blakely as the Mixers eked
out an 89-86 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Sunday in the PBA Governors’
Cup at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Yap finished with 19
points but it was his defense, particularly on Ginebra star Mark Caguioa, that
earned more praise from coach Tim Cone.
The two-time Most Valuable
Player Yap hounded reigning MVP Caguioa to a tough night, with the Ginebra
guard missing all his shots from the field and finishing with only six points.
Caguioa shot a woeful
0-for-11 clip in the game.
“I don’t know if anybody
has noticed, but probably the best defensive player on the court was James
Yap,” said Cone.
“He’s just tremendous
defensively. He guarded Gary David in the last game. Yes, Gary got going, but
that was when James was off the floor. Then he guarded Caguioa tonight and he
did a tremendous job. He’s really stepping up and has contributed on both ends
of the floor.”
“I’m really, really proud
of him. That part of his game has really been overshadowed and he’s taken the
challenge, stepping up and doing that.”
Yap had a hot start,
scoring 14 of his total, including two three-pointers, in the first two
periods.
Caguioa, in contrast, was
held to just two points in the first half and missed all of his three attempts
from the field in the 14 minutes he played.
SMC 89 – Blakely 30, Yap 19, Barroca 10, Simon 10, Maliksi 8, De Ocampo 6,
Reavis 4, Mallari 2, Acuna 0, Gaco 0.
GIN 86 – Lowhorn 29, Tenorio 17, Ellis 8, Wilson 7, Baracael 6, Mamaril 6,
Caguioa 6, Helterbrand 5, Maierhofer 2, Ababou 0, Urbiztondo 0.
QS: 22-26, 43-40, 66-63, 89-86.
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| Yancy De Ocampoo fakes off Dior Lowhorn. |
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| Billy Mamaril battles for position against Marqus Blakely. |
Source: Unless otherwise specified, game recaps were compressed and
compiled from InterAKTV. (Writing credit to Rey Joble)
Images: Images are from InterAKTV. (Photo credit to Paolo Papa)
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