Bowles saves the day for San Mig Coffee

MANILA, Philippines – Denzel Bowles struggled to get possession almost throughout but then got the needed touches and made them at crunch time as San Mig Coffee eked out a 71-69 nail-biter over Alaska Milk in Game One of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinal duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday night.

Bowles, the reigning Best Import, rose up at the finish, making seven big-time points after bleeding for only five markers in the first 43 minutes of a rugged and emotional defensive battle.

The 6-foot-10 behemoth scored all of their last three baskets, including a 10-foot looper off a crowded lane that shattered the 69-all count with six seconds left to play.

And then he helped Joe Devance cover Jayvee Casio as the latter tried to salvage the game for Alaska in the dying seconds. Forced to alter his shot, Casio threw an air ball that sent the San Mig Coffee bench and their supporters to a frenzied celebration.

The Mixers took the crucial 1-0 lead in the Cebuana Lhuillier-sponsored series, and made it 9-0 for coach Tim Cone in the side battle with his former team.

“It was a magnificent battle, maybe not pretty because it’s about defense, but it had a lot of heart. Everybody had to bleed for points,” said Cone.

“Every game would be like this – down-to-the-wire, emotional and about who makes the shot in the end. It turned out to be Denzel (Bowles) in this game,” Cone added.

PJ Simon, Andy Barroca and James Yap took turns in carrying the cudgels for the team early on before Bowles came through when needed the most.

“They had a good game plan coming in. They really stymied our offense as we couldn’t get the ball to Denzel. But Denzel made tough shots in the end. He’s a big game guy; he’s a big moment guy. He knows how to step up in big moment,” said Cone of Bowles.

Rob Dozier was dominant from the opening tiff until Bowles stole the thunder at the finish.

Bowles came through with only 12 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as against Dozier’s 21 markers, 15 boards and two assists. Dozier, however, was good for only a single basket in the payoff period.

Both playing resolute defense, the two teams engaged in a battle marked by eight deadlocks and 13 lead changes.

Calvin Abueva knocked in a tough follow-up shot – Alaska’s fourth in their penultimate possession – to tie the count for the last time at 69 with 22.6 ticks left.

The defensive battle had the two teams holding each other’s shooting below 27 percent in the first half.

San Mig Coffee barely took the half at 24-21 after making only seven markers in the first period – the lowest for the franchise in a quarter in over two seasons.

It was the lowest scoring first half since Purefoods and Sta. Lucia combined for 40 in a game in 2005.