Petron, San Mig dispute 3-2 lead

Game today

Araneta Coliseum

4:45 p.m.- San Mig Coffee vs. Petron Blaze

THEY AVOIDED a major embarrassment the last time out and by doing so, the San Mig Coffee Mixers also prevented things from getting out hand.

The Coffee Mixers try to finally surge ahead while the Petron Blaze Boosters look to retake the upper-hand when they clash again in the pivotal Game Five of the 38th PBA Governors’ Cup Best-of-Seven Finals at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Coffee Mixers won the last game, 88-86, despite losing a 28-point lead. The great escape allowed San Mig to tie the series at two games apiece.

“A one-point win is the same as a 30-point win,” San Mig coach Tim Cone said. “We were just trying very hard in the fourth quarter and saying we can’t regret losing that lead.”

Cone said Petron’s performance in Game Four showed how deadly the Boosters are.

“That’s how explosive they are,” he said. “I’m just glad to be two-two at this point. We’re looking forward to Sunday.”

Petron trailed by 28 points in the first half and was even down by 23 at the start of the third period.

The Boosters put up a searing rally in the final half that saw them taking the lead, 77-73, late in the game.

They failed to complete the comeback after committing crucial errors in the dying seconds.

Arwind Santos, the season’s Most Valuable Player, had a crucial inbound error in the final 21 seconds while Marcio Lassiter also didn’t have the presence of mind to call a timeout when they collared a defensive rebound with less than three seconds left and the Boosters clinging to a two-point lead.

“This is a game we should learn from,” Petron coach Gee Abanilla said.  /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA