2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals Roundup: October 23-25, 2013

The last two games of the 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals were beauties to watch. In Game 6, Elijah Millsap carried the Petron Blaze Boosters to a huge W, forcing a Game 7 in the process. In THAT Game 7, however, Millsap had little help outside of June Mar Fajardo. Game 7 was owned by the San Mig Coffee Mixers, with Marc Pingris and Marqus Blakely playing splendidly to redeem themselves and clinch the 2013 Govs’ Cup crown.

The Mixers clinched the title that eluded them last year.
(image from Titan22.com)

In Game 6, Petron Blaze beat San Mig Coffee, 99-88, with Millsap stepping up big time. Anytime a guy scores 30 in a game, he should be labeled awesome. Anytime a guy scores 10 of those 30 points in the fourth quarter and his team wins, he should be called clutch. Anytime a guy is both awesome and clutch to force Game 7? Wow, I don't even think anybody has invented a word for that yet. I like Elijah Millsap, and I think we'll all like him even more if he can become awesome and clutch again in Game 7.

San Mig’s Mark Barroca was yikes in this game. 0 points and 4 turnovers? Umm… I guess the real baby-faced Barroca took a vacay (much deserved, please note) all in preparation for a titanic tussle with Millsap in Game 7. I mean, 29 minutes of nothing much? I sure hope he's ready to produce a double-double tonight.

2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals Roundup: October 20, 2013

San Mig Coffee unloaded a big second half to pull the rug from under Petron Blaze and take a 3-2 series lead in the Finals of the 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Elijah Millsap and the Boosters got hijacked by
the Mixers in Game 5.
(image by Nuki Sabio/PBA)

Coach Tim Cone's unexpected M and M connection -- Marqus Blakely and Mark Barroca -- was fully effective here, combining for 52 points to lead the Mixers in their 114-103 win. Blakely played without rest here, adding 15 rebounds and 7 assists to his total, while Barroca, who also stepped up big time in SMC's Game 4 victory, handed out 10 assists for his own double-double performance.

This game had most of the trademarks of a Petron win -- great outside shooting coupled with awesome production from both Elijah Millsap and June Mar Fajardo. The problem? Most of the other locals just faded in the second half, with Millsap and Fajardo combining for all but 11 second half points for the Boosters. The local who faded most noticeably? Why, no one but the MVP himself -- Arwind Santos, whose most memorable contribution in the second half was tripping up Joe Devance. Now that's what I call a Most Valuable Patid. Santos produced a dismal total of 4 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal in 18 minutes. Raise the roof, MVP.

2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals Roundup: October 18, 2013

San Mig Coffee survived a late scare in Game Four and square its series, 2-2, against Petron Blaze in the Finals of the 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Mark Barroca stepped up big time as the
Mixers won Game 4.

The Mixers owe their lives to Mark Barroca as they beat Petron, 88-86. The former FEU and Gilas Pilipinas standout stepped up to hit big shots in the fourth quarter to save the day for San Mig Coffee, which squandered a 28-point lead and survived a late rally by the Petron Blaze Boosters. In all, Barroca drilled in a dozen points, including some big buckets in the waning minutes of the match. He shot just 2/10 from the field overall, but he made the baskets when they counted the most. At this stage, that's what really matters anyway.

2013 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals Roundup: October 16, 2013

Petron Blaze tore San Mig Coffee to shreds in the Game 3, 90-68, to take a critical 2-1 series lead in the Finals of the 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Paolo Hubalde got a lot of burn in Game 3 as
Alex Cabagnot sat out with an injury.

Raise your hand if you thought an Alex Cabagnot-less Petron Blaze squad could dominate the San Mig Coffee Mixers the way it did last night. No takers? Yeah, me too. Elijah Millsap more than filled in Cabaggi'es absence, however, pouring another all-around effort highlighted by 28 points. He also added 8 boards, 3 dimes, and 2 steals in a great show of quarterbacking. He has help, of course, as both Denok Miranda and Paolo Hubalde stepped up with a combined 15-point output.

That Cabagnot was out should have been the worst thing in this game already, but, man, what the hell was wrong with the Mixers? Was the huge point difference just because Petron shot well from long range (10/24 threes), or was it more because SMC's own offense contracted lethargy (they shot 2/15 from long range and had no local scoring more than 10 points)? And this after winning Game 2 in impressive fashion!!! When interviewed postgame, Marc Pingris said that his team probably had just 30% focus in this game. Way to play in the Finals, San Mig Coffee. Way to play.

Has Calvin Abueva done enough to be Rookie-of-the-Year?

This same article appears on PBA.Inquirer.net.

For the better part of the 2012-2013 PBA season, Alaska's Calvin Abueva has been the standard when it comes to this set of pro neophytes. His performances in the first two conferences have served to bolster his cause, of course, and it all peaked when he helped lead the Aces to the 2013 Commissioner's Cup title via sweep over the Ginebra Gin Kings.

Is Calvin Abueva a lock for the 2012-2013 PBA ROY?
(image by Paolo Papa/InterAKTV)

By and large, the former San Sebastian Golden Stag has been a man among boys, at least when ranged against most of his peers. Fellow 2012 PBA Draft first-rounders like Alex Mallari, Chris Ellis, Vic Manuel, and Chris Tiu have all had their moments, but none of those guys ever made an impact as indelible as Abueva’s. And, well, nobody really got under the skin of foes and fans alike so memorably. Heck, even other first-rounders like Aldrech Ramos, Keith Jensen, and Jason Deutchmann have barely made any ripple. Second round draftee Emman Monfort made more of an impression than any of those three. The fact is, up until this conference, Abueva had been heads and shoulders above the competition for ROY.

What are the keys to winning Game 3 of the 2013 PBA Govs’ Cup Finals?

This article also appears on PBA.Inquirer.net.

The joust for 2013 PBA Governors’ Cup has become a bona fide best-of-five affair after the series protagonists – Petron Blaze and San Mig Coffee – each won a game to draw level. For this writer, the fact that the Finals count has become 1-1 is surprising, since Petron has been running roughshod over the competition prior to losing Game 2. The Boosters, in fact, won 13 of the 15 games before losing to the Mixers this past Sunday. To say that Petron was on the wrong end of an upset is a bit of an understatement, especially considering how San Mig Coffee was also one main guy short (Allein Maliksi has been reduced to a glorified cheerleader because he tore his ACL again).

Alex Mallari and Ronald Tubid hope to lead
their respective teams to a big Game 3 win.
(image by Pranz Kaeno Billones/PBA)

But, alas, here we are. Now, instead of having a two-game cushion heading into the crossroad that is Game 3, the Boosters of coach Gee Abanilla are faced with an uphill battle. The Mixers really rattled them in Game 2, with Marqus Blakely proving why he deserved to be called the Best Import of the Conference and James Yap reemerging into his Big Game self. By playing physical, the Mixers also drew a lot of fouls from Petron’s vaunted frontliners. Elijah Millsap, Arwind Santos, and June Mar Fajardo all fouled out in that contest, paving the way for San Mig’s huge equalizer.