Carcamo tip-in lifts Tigers past Beermen

Alex Carcamo tipped in a missed short jumper by Johnny Abarrientos at the buzzer and Coca-Cola upended reigning champion San Miguel Beer, 79-77, in the San Mig Coffee PBA Fiesta Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo last night.

Carcamo struggled for only 14 points on 38-percent field goal shooting but delivered the decisive goal as the Tigers rebounded from an 81-89 loss to the Barangay Ginebra Kings last Oct. 5.

Calling a timeout with only three seconds left in the clock, Coca-Cola coach Binky Favis designed a play for Ali Peek at the post. But Peek was covered well by Danny Seigle and the Tigers were forced to go to Abarrientos just below the free throw line.

Abarrientos’ short jumper went strong to the right but Carcamo soared from nowhere for a tip-in at the buzzer, sending the Tigers and their followers to a frenzied celebration in the venue.

The loss kept the Beermen the only winless team in the tournament backed by Xtreme Magic Sing.

"It was a lucky win and I’m happy because it’s a morale-booster for us," said Favis adding defense kept them afloat in the contest.

"How amazing it was for us to win through our defense. We helped each other out in clogging the post and clogging the paint, and that was the key," said Favis.

The Beermen had their chance to win the game but Danny Seigle and Rico Hill, who combined for 46 points, missed the shots that mattered the most.

After Coca-Cola drew level at 77-all on a basket by Peek with 1:02 left to play, Seigle misfired a three-point shot then Hill missed a top-of-the-key jumper.

Talk n Text unleashed a vicious attack in the third quarter to pull away from a tight first-half game en route to a 109-91 win over Air21 in the second game.

Hill actually came to life only in the fourth, scoring seven points in a 9-0 opening run in the quarter that pushed the Beermen ahead at 59-57.

Hill rattled in 13 of his 19 points in the payoff period while Seigle added seven, including five straight points all against Billy Mamaril. Seigle drew Mamaril’s sixth foul with 1:45 left to play and canned two charities as the Beermen shattered a 73-all count.

PBA NOTES: Although actress Ruffa Mae Quinto said in a TV interview that his boyfriend Rudy Hatfield has abandoned his basketball career to pursue a different job in the United States, coach Favis remains hopeful the 6-foot-3 forward will work on his papers to be able to play again in the PBA. "Rudy is a basketball man, I know he would want to play again." But Favis said he can’t blame Hatfield to be frustrated. He has been cleared by the Office of the President but is still barred from playing in the PBA pending completion of requirements imposed by the league on foreign-born players. Quinto said in a TV interview that Hatfield has given up hopes of a PBA comeback.