PBA: Sangalang shines late as San Mig seizes 2-1 lead against Rain or Shine

The San Mig Super Coffee Mixers sustained furious rallies led by Arizona Reid, while leaning on Ian Sangalang for clutch baskets in the fourth to come out with a 78-69 victory against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Game 3 of the 2014 PBA Governor's Cup finals Saturday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

"Ian stepped up along with Mark [Barroca] and Justin [Melton] and Rafi [Reavis] until he came out coz he twisted his knee," said San Mig head coach Tim Cone of his reserves.

Beau Belga was effective entering the payoff period, as the Elasto Painters worked off a pair of blocks for a 59-58 lead with 10 and a half minutes remaining. San Mig then went to Ian Sangalang in the paint, and the big man responded with six straight points, 64-59. With SMC tightening up its interior defense, Rain or Shine had to make do with a Jeff Chan putback to stop the bleeding. A six-point swing from transition baskets had RoS head coach Yeng Guiao pressing for time, as the Mixers enjoyed a nine-point lead, 70-61.

Guiao re-inserted Reid and Norwood for the final stretch, and the import quickly converted on an and one. Sangalang and Blakely continued to connect though, as a Lee jumper made it an eight-point game entering the final four minutes.

Rain or Shine played good defense at one end, but Reid's chances from inside and out fell short. SMC milked the clock from then on, while getting key offensive boards and steals to secure the win.

"It wasn't a game of big shots; it was a game of big stops," Cone added. "You just gotta continue to battle Rain or Shine.You gotta play the game possession by possession because of their mental strength, nothing seems to faze them."

The Mixers jumped to an 11-2 start, before Arizona Reid led a Rain or Shine rally that trimmed the lead to five, 15-10. A Marqus Blakely basket were met by back to back hits from Gabe Norwood and Reid. At the end of the first, the Mixers held on to a three-point edge, 17-14.


Inside scoring care of Justin Melton, Mark Barroca and Blakely had San Mig rebuilding their lead, before Reid strung six of his own. Perimeter makes from Barroca and PJ Simon maintained a six-point edge, before Marqus Blakely made up for two missed freethrows with an offensive board and a bucket to end the half, 39-30.

The Mixers shot a stellar 53.3 percent from the two-point territory, making up for their 2-of-9 struggle from deep. Marqus Blakely and PJ Simon led SMC with eight points each, while Joe Devance, Marc Pingris, Mark Barroca and Ian Sangalang chipped in four points apiece. The Mixers' import also hauled in eight rebounds, five of them offensive, along with three steals and a denial.

Arizona Reid posted double figures after two quarters, tallying 14 points with five boards and two blocks. Aside from Ryan Arana's three points that came from beyond the arc, six other Elasto Painters scored two points apiece. Rain or Shine matched San Mig's sour three-point shooting, canning only one out of 13 tries.

James Yap helped sustain SMC's advantage early in the third with four straight points, before Jervy Cruz and Ryan Arana started to connect from the perimeter anew, 47-42. Joe Devance also strung four of his own, before Rain or Shine was put into penalty with 4:40 remaining. Devance and Blakely worked to sustain the advantage for the Mixers, but seven from Reid and a Raymond Almazan layup had Rain or Shine slashing the lead to just one, 56-55. A Reavis putback off a Barroca miss made it a three-point game after three, 58-55.

"You can't talk about it til it's done," Tim Cone said about being one away from another Grand Slam. "We have too much respect for this team [Rain or Shine]. This is the mentally strongest team you'll play; they don't break."

Marqus Blakely led SMC in scoring with 17 points, while Ian Sangalang tallied 13. Joe Devance and PJ Simon had 10 points each. Arizona Reid carried Rain or Shine anew with 31 points, while no other RoS player scored in double figures. Beau Belga came closes with eight points, while Jervy Cruz and Ryan Arana had six each. - GMA News

The scores:

SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE 78 - Blakely 17, Sangalang 13, Devance 10, Simon 10, Pingris 7, Yap 7, Barroca 6, Reavis 6, Melton 2, Maliksi 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 69 - Reid 31, Belga 8, Cruz 6, Arana 6, Almazan 4, Chan 4, Tiu 3, Ibanes 2, Lee 2, Norwood 2, Rodriguez 1, Tang 0, Nuyles 0.

Quarterscores: 17-14, 39-30, 58-55, 78-69