San Mig Super Coffee Mixers finally defeats ROS Elasto Painters

By Elyrose S. Naorbe

PBA Cup 2014 Champion!

After showing a dominating performance in game six, the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers blasted off the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 93-87, to bring home the PLDT MyDSL 2014 PBA Philippine Cup championship, Wednesday, at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Finals MVP Coffee prince Mark Barroca led the way as he finished with 24 points, five assists and two steals. Rookie Ian Sangalang and Joe Devance set up 15 and 12 points respectively, as they combined for nine rebounds and five assists. PBA Sakuragi Marc Pingris managed o established 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Big Game James Yap accumulated 10 points.

San Mig Coffee showed some extreme passing techniques around the post, often finding Joe Devance, Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis to get an easy two. The Mixers' frontcourt combined for 14 points while the Elasto Painters shot blanks, 22-12. Ryan Araña though halted the tide with an and-one at the 3:21 mark, but James Yap hit a triple to highlight an 8-2 run, as the Mixers led 30-17 after the first frame.

Early in the second quarter, JR Quiñahan picked up a foul at with 11:39 on the clock, while contesting a Pingris floater. Already exasperated at the officiating in the first period, Coach Yeng Guiao led his team in a march back to the bunker. The situation was soon resolved though as Rain or Shine returned to the court, hit with a warning for delay of game. The strategy worked briefly through Jeff Chan and Ryan Arana’s hit tough buckets in the paint to narrow the lead to single digits, 31-22.

The coveted PBA Cup 2014 Trophy finally settled in San Mig Coffee Mixers hands

As the third period started, the Mixers led by no more than six points, 58-52, after a James Yap easy lay-up. But along the play, San Mig Coffee began to buckle under the defensive pressure and surrendered a 13-4 rally, due to turnover lay-ins and punctuated by consecutive treys from Lee and Chris Tiu, 65-62. However, the Elasto Painters couldn't sustain the pace, allowing PJ Simon and Mark Barroca to narrow the gap to one after three quarters, 67-66.

In the fourth quarter, Beau Belga led a late comeback try for Rain or Shine, but it ultimately fell short. As the game went down the wire, Barroca and Belga furiously traded and-ones and threes, until Pingris made charities at 1:07, 91-86, forcing Rain or Shine to call timeout trailing 91-86.

The Mixers called timeout and triggered the ball to Barroca, who was fouled, and split from the line, 92-86. Rain or Shine then burned their last timeout with 29.4 left on the clock.

After San Mig Coffee Mixers clinched the championship, the winning coach Tim Cone's record 16th championship, and named as the winningest coach in the PBA History surpassing the previous mark set by Baby Dalupan.

 Photo by Dennis Sebangan