San Mig Coffee shows Air21 the exit
Games today
Araneta Coliseum
3:00 p.m.- GlobalPort vs. Alaska
5:15 p.m.- Barako Bull vs. Barangay Ginebra
BUCKING the absence of their injured star guard, the San Mig Coffee Mixers enhanced their playoff bid while showing the door to the Air21 Express via a 67-60 decision last night in the 39th PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Coffee Mixers drew 20 points from PJ Simon, 12 from Yancy de Ocampo to go with 12 rebounds, while Mark Barroca had 11 as the trio stepped up big in the absence of James Yap, who sat out due to back spasms.
San Mig improved to 5-7 (win-loss) to tie the Meralco Bolts and the Barako Bull Energy Colas at fifth spot in the team standings.
The loss officially eliminated the Express, who tasted their 10th loss with only three wins to show. Air21 only has one game left in the elimination round.
Meanwhile, league commissioner Chito Salud will look into an incident involving Meralco’s Jared Dillinger and Alaska’s Calvin Abueva, who figured in a tussle in the Bolts’ 75-64 win over the Aces last Friday.
The incident happened in the 10:09 mark of the fourth period as the two came crashing to the stands after Abueva blocked the driving Dillinger.
As the two crashed, Abueva’s right elbow landed in Dillinger’s neck. Dillinger then lapel grabbed the Alaska forward. Dillinger’s nose was bloodied after he was hit by Abueva in that play.
“I will review the incident in my office first thing on Monday and make a determination as to the sufficiency of the technical fouls assessed against both players for their actuations,” Salud said in a statement.
He added: “If the penalties given on court are found to be proportionate to the acts in question, then I will consider the matter closed. Otherwise, I will invite the players involved to hear their side and thereafter mete out the commensurate sanctions.”
BOX SCORES
SAN MIG COFFEE (67)- Simon 20, De Ocampo 12, Barroca 11, Pingris 7, Devance 6, Sanggalang 6 Mallari 3, Reavis 2, Melton 0.
AIR21 (60)- Canaleta 22, Cardona 11, Yeo 9, Taulava 5, Manuel 4, Arboleda 3, Sharma 2, Custodio 2, Camson 2, Matias 0, Espiritu 0, Menor 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 17-12; 29-25; 44-43; 67-60. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA
