San Miguel levels series with Ginebra

By Musong R. Castillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 06:53:00 07/09/2009

Filed Under: Basketball
GAME MONDAY (Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m.—San Miguel vs Barangay Ginebra (Game 5)
MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Beer won over Barangay Ginebra, 106-104, Wednesday night in the finest game the league’s two popular ballclubs have played thus far in the Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup championship series.


The Beermen needed a couple of breaks to go their way in the clutch before hammering out the victory at the Araneta Coliseum to even the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.

And San Miguel coach Siot Tanquingcen felt that none of those breaks came from the referees.

“I’ll be honest, we’re not getting any breaks from the referees; we’re always in foul trouble,” Tanquigcen told reporters shortly after getting 23 points and 21 rebounds from Gabriel Freeman.

Four of Freeman’s points came on opposite ends of the biggest break San Miguel got: Three missed freebies by Ginebra import David Noel that left the Gin Kings momentarily deflated.

After the wiry San Miguel import tipped in a Mike Cortez miss to end a drought that lasted over two minutes, the Beermen took a 103-101 edge that looked in danger when Noel was fouled by Freeman in the act of taking a corner three.

Noel missed all freebies and Freeman made two more points to make it 105-101, 13.5 ticks remaining, and redeem himself for that crucial foul—one of many that left Tanquingcen feeling he was at the raw end of the calls.

“It’s human nature (for the referees) to play to the (wishes) of the crowd,” Tanquingcen added. “Everybody loves an underdog (Ginebra).”
The Kings came alive when it was Noel’s turn for redemption. The high-leaping import drained a triple to move to within a point and the Kings forced a split from Cortez at the stripe, leaving the Beermen with a couple of bullets more to dodge with 9.7 ticks to play.

But Ronald Tubid and Chico Lanete each missed from beyond the arc that sealed the Kings’ doom.

Jayjay Helterbrand, in his first game after being crowned MVP earlier last night, led the Kings with 22 points. But he wasn’t on the floor in the final few minutes because of a recurring hamstring pull that coach Jong Uichico said he did not want to aggravate further.

Gabe Norwood was also a winner during the Leo Awards, bagging the Rookie of the Year trophy ahead of teammate Solomon Mercado.
Other awardees: All-Defensive Team—Arwind Santos, Asi Taulava, Ginebra’s Billy Mamaril and Ronald Tubid and Burger King’s Wynne Arboleda; Sportsmanship Award—Jay-R Reyes

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL 106—Freeman 23, Hontiveros 19, Cortez 18, Ildefonso 15, Villanueva 9, Washington 9, Pena 7, Pingris 6, Racela 0, Pennisi 0.

BARANGAY GINEBRA 104—Helterbrand 22, Noel 22, Menk 21, Tubid 10, Reavis 10, Baguio 9, Salvacion 5, Lanete 2, Mamaril 2, Wilson 1.

Quarters: 24-26, 47-46, 71-73, 106-104