San Mig grounds Air21, ties series

MANILA, Philippines - With James Mays’ explosive start, San Mig Coffee just couldn’t crack Air21.

But with quick hustle plays from Justin Melton and Mark Barroca, the Mixers ripped the game open in a flash late in the first half.

The Mixers pulled away on 12 unanswered points in the final minute of the second quarter and never looked back on the way to an 82-75 win that forged a one-game deadlock with the Express in their PLDT Home TVolution PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinals showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Mays produced a rare 20-20 game with 25 points and 23 rebounds but it took a lightning quick attack by Melton and Barroca to give San Mig Coffee the momentum that carried the team to the crucial win.

“Justin and Mark really came out and set the tone for our win with their pressure defense. They created some offense off defense,” said San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone.

Air21 was close behind at 34-38 before San Mig Coffee got away with a 12-to-nothing closing run in the final minute of the second quarter, thus, taking a 16-point spread, 50-34, at the turn.

At the outset of the final half, Peter June Simon scored on a leaner as the Mixers stretched their lead to 18 at 56-38, then the Mixers led by as many as 20 early in the fourth before cruising to the series equalizer.

“More important is that we broke their momentum. They’re riding a great momentum going to this game,” said Cone.

The San Mig Coffee bench chieftain didn’t think that the momentum automatically shifted to their side, though.

“One game doesn’t make momentum. Two or three and you start one,” Cone said.

“Air21 is a confident team at this point. They believe in themselves. Teams that are confident don’t worry falling behind,” Cone added.

The two teams break their one-game standoff in Game Three at 5 p.m. tomorrow also at the Big Dome.

James Yap continued to grope for form but PJ Simon and Joe Devance were also there to provide help to their import. Simon, Melton and Devance contributed 13, 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Melton fired away a booming trey then got a three-point play off a steal by Barroca to touch off their key run made upon Asi Taulava’s exit.

Taulava logged 10 points and six rebounds while Mark Cardona tossed in 12 markers as the Express engaged the Mixers in a battle in the first 23 minutes marked by four deadlocks and two lead changes.

After being blocked by Barroca to jeers by the San Mig fans, Taulava knocked in two perimeter jumpers and two charities as the Express went ahead, 29-27, from 20-25 down at the end of the first quarter.