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Beermen barrel past Kings, reach semis
Written by staff   
Tuesday, 13 January 2009 01:53

Talk about a great comeback and San Miguel Beer just made the PBA’s greatest come-from-behind team a footnote in the wake of its magnificent escape Sunday night.

The Beermen roared back from as many as 21 points down in the third quarter to nip the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, 98-93, and enter the Final Four of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup.
Dondon Hontiveros scored 27 points in the second half, including the key baskets when the game was on the line as San Miguel Beer took the best-of-three quarterfinal series at 2-1, before a virtual sea of humanity at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.

“Ito ang dahilan kung bakit nandito kami (This is the reason why we are here),” San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen, teary-eyed when he entered the press room, told reporters while patting Hontiveros on the back.

“I just wanted to continue playing,” said the veteran Hontiveros, who hit a triple and then completed a three-point play off Sunday Salvacion with 8:43 left in the fourth period as the Beermen took a 75-74 lead after trailing 62-41 in the third quarter.

The 6-foot-2 swingman from Cebu, who was left out of the national pool, had another five-point cluster capped by another three-point play off Junthy Valenzuela with 2:27 left to clinch it for the Beermen, 92-85.

Hontiveros went on to finish with 34 points in a big follow-up to his career-high 35 in Game 2, where the Beermen also came back from 18 points down only to fall short and fail to sweep the series.

“Only thing I could think of was to thank God for this win,” said the emotional Tanquingcen. “We came back from almost dead. I can only thank God for that.

“The players also kept believing even when we were down.”

The Beermen, who came all the way from the wild-card phase, will face Talk ‘N Text in the main game of a semifinal doubleheader on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

It will be Alaska against defending champion Sta. Lucia Realty in the other best-of-seven semifinal duel.

Bonbon Custodio scored 13 points, including a crucial coast-to-coast drive with 1:54 left, while Lordy Tugade scattered 11 to help doom the crowd-favorite Gin Kings, who are known for their never-say-die rallies in the past.

Jayjay Helterbrand led the Kings with 30 points but, as in the first two games of the series, was practically ineffective in the fourth quarter.

San Miguel Beer’s starting point guard Olsen Racela was tossed out of the floor after just over three minutes into the game because of a Flagrant Foul 2 on Helterbrand.

Without their quarterback of many years, the Beermen committed 10 turnovers in the first period alone and another four in the first four minutes of the second, aiding a Ginebra breakaway that had the Kings taking leads of as many as 15, 36-21.

Helterbrand shot 20 points in his first 20 minutes on the floor, including four triples in the first two periods alone.

Meanwhile, the PBA board convenes in an emergency meeting at the league’s offices in Quezon City Monday to discuss the issue of Air21 changing its name to Burger King for the Fiesta Cup opening on Feb. 28.

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL BEER 98—Hontiveros 34, Custodio 13, Tugade 11, Seigle 9, Washington 8, Villanueva 7, Pennisi 5, Pena 4, Pingris 3, Baguion 2, Racela 2, Gonzales 0.

BARANGAY GINEBRA 93—Helterbrand 30, Salvacion 17, Menk 9, Mamaril 8, Tubid 7, Pacana 6, Artadi 6, Wilson 6, Valenzuela 4, Escalona 0, Cabatu 0.

Quarters: 14-22, 36-49, 67-60, 98-93
 
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