Baracael fulfills Chua's prophecy

MANILA, Philippines – Mac Baracael was only averaging 5.4 points per game heading to last night’s showdown with the highly charged Meralco Bolts riding high on the crest of their import Eric Dawson's 57-point explosion against Petron last Friday.  

But before tip-off, Ginebra San Miguel coach Al Chua felt that Baracael was due for a big game.

“Itanong niyo kay Mac [Baracael], I told him before this game in front of [boss] Robert Non na puputok siya,” Chua told the press after last night’s pulsating 91-90 escape win against Meralco.

Like a prophecy fulfilled, Baracael did it in savior-like fashion to set up Vernon Macklin’s game winner at the end.

The former FEU Tamaraw and Gilas gunner, who came from Alaska via trade at the start of the conference, played his best game in Ginebra uniform pouring in 17 points, 10 coming in the payoff period as the Kings weathered Meralco’s high-voltage rally.

“Na-motivate kasi ako sa sinabi ni coach Al na puputok ako this game,” Baracael said during his Best Player of the Game interview. “Dahil wala pa si Kuya Mark [Caguioa], nagtulong-tulong kami.”

Baracael’s explosion was Caguioa-nesque. 

He pulled up for jumpers around the perimeter with the swagger of their injured superstar and drove with spark in his eyes for floaters, the last one gave the Kings an 89-81 cushion in the final two and a half minutes that was enough to fend off the Bolts’ flurry of treys.

Chua himself did not know what prompted him to predict Baracael's explosion. 

"Hindi ko rin alam bakit ko sinabi yun. Hindi ko alam. Basta gut-feel ko lang," said the long-haired coach as he went out of the press room to celebrate with Baracael and the rest of the team in the dugout for their sixth straight win that formalized their entry to the playoffs.