Coffee Kings repel Sparks for last slot

Ford Arao canned in two pressure-packed charities in the clutch as San Mig Coffee held off Toyota Otis, 68-64, to clinch the fourth and last semifinal berth in the PBL Lipovitan Amino Sports Cup at the Oreta Sports Center in Malabon City yesterday.

Bonbon Custodio and Neil Raneses fired 18 and 17 points, respectively, for the Coffee Kings, who also drew 10 points from Arao and JP Alcaraz, whose back-to-back baskets early in the fourth quarter fueled a 6-0 run that gave San Mig a 59-51 lead.

Toyota Otis refused to give up and closed to within, 60-64, but Arao’s free throws doused cold water on the Sparks’ fightback for the win.

This marks the first semis stint for San Mig Coffee (formerly Magnolia Beverage) since it bagged a championship in the 2005 season.

San Mig, however, faces a tough challenge in the semis as it clashes with No. 1 Harbour Centre.

Hapee Toothpaste, which finished No. 2 at the end of the double-round elims, battles Burger King in the other semis battle which starts tomorrow in Tarlac.

Both teams started poorly but the Coffee Kings seized the momentum at the start of the second where they connected four straight baskets.

With Custodio and Raneses hitting their marks, the Coffee Kings took a 28-16 lead midway of the second before settling for a 35-26 advantage at the turn.

Custodio finished the half with 10 points while Raneses and PJ Alcaraz combined for 13 points.

Meanwhile, the staging of the semis games in Tarlac is backed by the Philippine Olympic Committee spokesman Joey Romasanta, Tarlac City Mayor Genaro Mendoza and City Sports Development officer Arnold Rodriguez.

“The holding of the PBL in Tarlac will be a big boost to the city’s sports development program,” said Romasanta, who hails from Tarlac.

San Mig coach Koy Banal also credited their defensive job on key Toyota gunners, headed by Patrick Cabahug and Jonathan Aldave, who they held to a combined six points.

Compounding the Sparks woes was the ejection of Cabahug late in the third quarter for a flagrant foul on Custodio.

The Sparks had a good run in the third where they wrested the lead at 49-47 on a basket by center Brian Faundo. But Arao and Alcaraz responded quickly to regain the lead for the Coffee Kings.

This will be the first time in six conferences that Toyota Otis will not be playing in the semis.

According to Romasanta, POC President Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, Jr. will be coming home to watch the games – the first time the league will be holding semis matches outside Metro Manila.

From Tarlac, the league motors to Baguio City on Monday for Game 2 which will be held at the University of the Cordilleras before heading back to Muntinlupa Sports Center for Game 3 of the best-of-five semis series.

The league drew huge crowd when it held its games just recently in Trece Martires City in Cavite and Tanauan City in Batangas.