PBA: Mixers get it done against Texters, set up semis date with Ginebra

(Updated 7:50pm) The San Mig Coffee Mixers leaned on different players stepping up at the right time to defeat the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, 90-82, on Sunday at the Cuneta Astrodome, sending them through to the semifinals of the 2013-14 PBA Philippine Cup.

The best-of-seven series between the fifth-seeded Mixers and top-ranked Baragay Ginebra San Miguel begins Tuesday, at the MOA Arena.

"We got a secret weapon tonight in Justin [Melton]," said San Mig head coach Tim Cone. "He was really key for us, giving us a new dimension."

Melton was the big difference this time around, converting on key baskets when San Mig needed it the most. His backcourt tandem with Mark Barroca led to 30 big points for the Mixers.

All-in-all, Barroca turned in a huge effort for San Mig Coffee, leading his team in scoring (18), rebounding (12), assists (5) and steals (2).

The quarterfinals loss by Talk 'N Text ends their hopes of defending their Philippine Cup title, after dominating the All-Filipino tourney for the past three seasons.

Ranidel De Ocampo rung in a cold-blooded three to usher in the last two minutes, knotting up the score at 82-all. A PJ Simon feed to Marc Pingris led to a quick spin on De Ocampo however, as San Mig Coffee completed an and-one, 85-82.

TNT called for time, but off the quick break, Jayson Castro missed a pull-up jumper against Pingris to give San Mig Coffee possession anew. On the next play, the Miers found Joe Devance for an easy two under the basket, as KG Canaleta missed on two opportunities from beyond the arc.

With 35.2 remaining, the Texters put Mark Barroca on the line. The point guard hit both, making it a seven-point game. Two more misses from deep spelled doom for the Texters as Pingris connected on another free throw to seal the deal.

"I'm stoked, pumped up playing Ginebra," said Cone. "Mark [Pingris] played big down the stretch. Rafi [Reavis] came out, Ian [Sangalang] played well. [It was a] total team contribution, something we didn't have early in the conference."

TNT started hot, going up 7-2 after a Kelly Williams jumper, but San Mig swung back, riding James Yap for jumpers to take a 14-12 lead. Ranidel De Ocampo and Larry Fonacier looked to end the San Mig run, but baskets from Ian Sangalang and a Joe Devance buzzer-beater kept San Mig ahead, 21-20.
 
Alex Mallari and Mark Barroca piled up the points to start the second as San Mig seized a 31-22 lead. The Mixers then started to settle for outside shots, as Jayson Castro cashed in on drives to tie the game at 36-all.  Back-to-back triples from Yap and PJ Simon kept San Mig ahead after two though, 42-40.


Simon and Devance kept the ball rolling in the third, but twin triples from Canaleta forged another deadlock, 46-all. Two long bombs by rookie Justin Melton gave San Mig their biggest lead in the third, 60-53, but Danny Seigle and Larry Fonacier were able to water that down to just a one-point game, 61-60, one quarter left to play.

It was the Texters who began hitting three-pointers in the final canto, with Canaleta's make giving his side a 75-74 lead, halfway through the fourth. PJ Simon however stole the lead back for the Mixers, before De Ocampo's trey with 2:21 remaining reset the table.

Supporting Barroca was Joe Devance with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Marc Pingris was a board shy of a double-double, to go with his 13 markers, Justin Melton scored 12 points, all on three-pointers, while PJ Simon added 10.

James Yap only had eight points for the Mixers, but Cone clarified that his top gun was still nursing an injury:

"James hyperextended an elbow. Certainly, there's pain there. James is our best player; he hardly sits out practice. He's gonna find a way. He'll play until the moment he cannot."

Ranidel De Ocampo led all scorers with 22 points, but he had just four rebounds. Jayson Castro managed 15, missing all three triple-tries in the process. KG Canaleta logged a double-double of 13 points and 10 boards, while Danny Seigle scored eight.

Three-point shooting was a big factor in this game. The Mixers were 10-of-21 for 47.6 percent, while the Texters were 9-of-31 for 29.0 percent. SMC also had more assists, 19-15.

The Mixers won game one 90-83, but TNT forced a rubber match 82-77. - AMD, GMA News