Giv clinches last semis slot

Giv Beauty Soap survived a horrendous shooting in the closing minutes and then pounced on PharmaQuick’s collapse at endgame to steal a 70-68 victory yesterday and clinch the last semifinal berth in the PBL Chairman’s Cup at the Makati Coliseum.

The Soap Makers scored only two points in the final six minutes of play but the Pharmacists failed to convert on their scoring opportunities as they struggled with erratic plays, enabling Giv to escape with the victory.

"We lost our concentration at endgame and I must admit that the breaks went our way here," said Giv coach Nat Canson.

Ernesto Billiones had a career-high 27 points, eight of which came in the final period where Giv took a 68-59 with still six minutes left in the contest.

PharmaQuick’s Bruce Dacia then had a charity and a basket to spark a run, capped by Pableo Canoneo’s triple that trimmed Giv’s lead to two points, 70-68, a minute and a half to go.

But while the 6-foot-8 Omanzie Rodriguez, Dacia’s teammate in San Juan’s MBA team, blocked shots one after the other at the other end of the floor, his teammates kept on missing at the other side as Giv hung on to preserve the lead and the victroy.

Giv will thus face sister team Shark at the start of the semis round Tuesday while No. 2 Ana Freezers faces Welcoat in the other match. Shark and Ana enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage.