Petron, San Mig Coffee seek to boost legacy in winner-take-all Game 7

MANILA, Philippines – The truly memorable teams won the hard way, and that will be the case for the one celebrating under rain of confetti and balloons at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

Both secured of a place in PBA history, Petron Blaze and San Mig Coffee both try to redefine their legacy as they fight for all the marbles in the final game of PBA Season 38.

It’s Game Seven with the Governors Cup crown on the line as the Boosters and the Mixers slug it out at 8 p.m. before an expected sellout crowd at the Big Dome.

It’s the mother of all battles, the best moment in the sport that makes or unmakes heroes.

Either Petron Blaze, the league’s winningest ball club with 19 titles, reigns on top of everybody once again or San Mig Coffee makes the one final push it failed to deliver last year.

“Definitely, we are going all out to get the most important win in our Governors Cup campaign,” said Petron coach Gee Abanilla. “Our objectives are still clear – we want to do things right, be good at it and continually improve ourselves.”

“Trying to beat them three in a row was a huge mountain to climb. We have no other recourse now but to go at it at a deciding Game Seven,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

Elijah Millsap endured pain on his right foot, carrying Petron on his shoulders in the most critical situation as the Boosters smothered the Mixers, 99-88, Wednesday to force the you-or-me setto.

Millsap said he’s been playing through injury all year long and promised to be ready for his most important game in the local pro league tonight.

He’s raring to help his coach complete a Cinderella ride and his teammates Chris Lutz, Marcio Lassiter and Junmar Fajardo nail a first PBA crown.

Both teams are not unfamiliar in this grand night. The San Miguel Beer/Petron franchise and the Purefoods/San Mig Coffee ball club have been both to seven Game Sevens, each one winning thrice and losing four times.

And both won their last crowns via the full distance of a best-of-seven title series – San Mig Coffee (then playing under the banner of B-Meg) in the 2012 Commissioner’s Cup and Petron Blaze in the 2011 Governors Cup.

The Mixers bungled a shot at back-to-back championships in losing a sudden death in this very tourney versus the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last year.

Marqus Blakely was right there at the Big Dome, out on fouls as Rain or Shine completed its breakthrough title run and foiled San Mig’s own bid in the process.

Cone brought back Blakely purposely to finish an unfinished business in the PBA.

Cone and the ball club have their chances to elevate their legacies.

If ever, the American mentor would celebrate a personal milestone, tying coach Baby Dalupan’s all-time best record of 15 championships, and the Mixers would toast a title making the franchise the fourth winningest in the league behind Petron (19), Alaska (14) and Crispa (13). At the moment, San Mig is tied with Toyota with nine championships each.

Millsap sizzled with 30 points, eight rebounds and six assists, Fajardo sparkled with 21 markers and 14 boards and Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot and Lutz added at least 11 points each as Petron extended the tourney and the season to one deciding game.

Santos checked a two-game slump after his MVP coronation, putting in solid all-around numbers of 12 points, six rebounds and six assists while also being the main defender of Blakely who was held to 21 points.

A non-factor for San Mig in Game Six was Mark Barroca, going scoreless in 29 minutes curiously after winning back-to-back Best Player of the Game honors.

It's the 22nd Game Seven in PBA finals – a fitting climax to a great season that established new record numbers and saw the league's stars soar to greatness in the FIBA Asia championship.