Meralco vs ROS; Ginebra vs Air21, Energy Cola finish strong, stun Mixers

MANILA, Philippines - Barako Bull came from behind on the fourth-quarter explosions by Josh Dollard and Willie Miller as the Energy Cola checked their three-game skid and stopped the San Mig Coffee Mixers’ unbeaten run with a heart-stopping 92-90 victory in the PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Dollard and Miller teamed up in a fiery windup, powering the Energy Cola from 16 points down at the start of the last quarter en route to the key win that improved their record to 2-4 for ninth.

Mark Barroca could have actually forced overtime but missed an uncontested runner in the dying seconds.

Earlier, Ronjay Buenafe came off the bench to pick up a crucial foul from PJ Simon with 7.2 seconds left and canned in two pressure-packed charities to make it 92-90.

And thus, the Mixers suffered their first defeat in four games in the mid-season tourney, leaving the Talk n Text Tropang Texters as the lone unbeaten team with their 6-0 mark.

“We put them away from their comfort zone and we pulled off an upset. Tsamba talaga,” said Barako Bull coach Bong Ramos.

“We prepared a lot of game plan as we can’t match them man to man. They (the Mixers) led by 16 points at the end of the third but my players continued to follow the game plan. Luckily, it worked,” Ramos also said.

“We’re always there in the battle in our previous games. Most of the time, we just committed defensive lapses at the finish. This time, our team defense held,” said Miller, Barako’s man of the moment with his 13-point fourth-quarter production.

Miller topscored for the Barako locals with 19 and made it a double-double job with 10 assists – the last setting up Dollard for a jumper that tied the count at 78 with 6:23 left.

After taking the third quarter at 78-62, the Mixers went on a long scoring spell, making their first basket almost six minutes into the final canto.

Simon, Joe Devance and James Yap scored the needed baskets for the Mixers in their return to the floor, but the Energy Cola sustained their momentum with Dollard banging away a booming trey as Barako took a 90-88 edge with 1:27 left to play.

Simon tied the count at 90 on a fastbreak attack against Miller, but there’s no stopping the Energy Cola from stealing the game in the end.

Crucial offensive rebounds in the final minute also helped Barako win the game.

Meanwhile, Meralco has decided to keep import Brian Butch at least for one more game against Rain or Shine at 5:45 p.m. tonight also at the Big Dome. The other game pits Barangay Ginebra and Air21 at 8 p.m.

“Rain or Shine is an upper echelon team. Their early struggle is dangerous, they will come out fighting, and we must be ready,” said Meralco coach Ryan Gregorio.

“Meralco is coming from a strong performance and we are still struggling for some consistency. We are not our usual selves as we’re turning the ball over four or five more than before. And we don’t have our usual energy on defense,” said RoS coach Yeng Guiao.