PBA: Coke forces rubber vs Magnolia

MANILA, Philippines – The Coca Cola Tigers lived to fight another day. The Tigers relied on a timely jumper by rookie Ronjay Buenafe and Alex Cabagnot’s game-long brilliance to pull off a thrilling 91-90 win over the Magnolia Beverage Masters in Wednesday’s second game in the Smart-Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. Buenafe, with three seconds left in the Tigers’ shot clock, drilled in a long twinner after receiving a pass from Nic Belasco, who grabbed the offensive board off a Cabagnot’s miss. Coca-Cola’s win forced the best-of-three quarterfinal series into a you-or-me showdown on Friday also at the Ynares Center where the Tigers are still undefeated this season. Cabagnot scored 17 points to lead the Tigers’ balanced scoring. He scored 11 in the fourth period firing three straight three-pointers to keep the Beverage Masters at bay with the last triple gave Coca-Cola an 89-85 lead with 1:10 left in the clock. – GMANews.TV