2014 PBA Governors Cup Finals: Mixers one away from Grand Slam!

Marqus Blakely jams one home as the Mixers secured a 2-1 series lead.

Game notes:
- Ian Sangalang saw Greg Slaughter walk away with the Rookie of the Year plum before Game 3, but the lanky big man from San Sebastian played unfazed afterwards, proving himself a superb talent in Game 3. The Pampanga native scored 8 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter as the Mixers broke a tight game wide open to secure a 2-1 edge in their titular series against the Painters.

- Marqus Blakely continued to live up to his Mr. Everything billing, too. Blakely tallied 17 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, and stole the ball thrice to lead San Mig Coffee’s big win in Game 3. Save for his atrocious free throw shooting, Blakely was as efficient as ever, shooting 7/13 from the 2-point area.

- Best Import AZ Reid led all scorers with 31 markers, but even that wasn’t enough to tow Rain or Shine to a win. I mean, nobody else on coach Yeng Guiao’s club scored more than 8 markers. Outside of Reid, ROS shot just 17/47 or 36% from the floor — definitely not championship-worthy.



Game highlights:






Game recaps by Rey Joble/InterAKTV:

SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE over RAIN OR SHINE, 78-69

San Mig Coffee came to within a single win of claiming a historic Grand Slam after grinding out a 78-69 victory over Rain or Shine in Game Three of the PLDT Home Telpad Governors’ Cup finals on Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

With the win, the Mixers took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five finals series with a chance to close it out on Monday’s Game Four.

Rookie Ian Sangalang scored 13 points on an efficient 6-for-10 shooting clip and played a major role in a San Mig Coffee rally in the fourth quarter that turned a tight contest into a comfortable advantage for the Mixers.

Sangalang scored eight big points in the final period.

The game was close until the fourth quarter, with Rain or Shine even taking a one-point lead, 59-58, after four straight points to open the final period.

But Sangalang scored back-to-back baskets to kick off a 12-2 run that gave San Mig Coffee a nine-point lead, 70-61, with seven minutes remaining.

After Rain or Shine import Arizona Reid completed a three-point play on the other, Sangalang scored yet again and Marqus Blakely followed it up with a pair of free throws to give San Mig Coffee a double-digit advantage midway through the period.

They would keep the lead around the same until the final buzzer.

Blakely led the way with 17 points while Joe Devance and Peter June Simon each added 10.

Reid once again starred for Rain or Shine with 31 points, but no local player finished in double figures for the Elasto Painters.

Beau Belga came closest with eight markers.

It was the first game in the series that wasn’t decided by three points or less after tight encounters in Games One and Two.

SMC 78 – Blakely 17, Sangalang 13, Devance 10, Simon 10, Pingris 7, Yap 7, Barroca 6, Reavis 6, Melton 2, Maliksi 0.
ROS 69 – Reid 31, Belga 8, Cruz 6, Arana 6, Almazan 4, Chan 4, Tiu 3, Ibanes 2, Lee 2, Norwood 2, Rodriguez 1, Tang 0, Nuyles 0.
QS: 17-14, 39-30, 58-55, 78-69.

Ian Sangalang continued to step up and play well for San Mig Super Coffee.

Jireh Ibañes and the rest of the Elasto-Painters now find their backs against the wall after losing Game 3.

Images by Paul Ryan Tan/Sports 5.


Tweet