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29 March 2024

Bowles steers Coffee Mixers away from Milkmen

Published

Denzel Bowles really has a knack at winning big games, just like what he did on Saturday night when he led San Mig Coffee to beat Alaska Milk, 71-69, in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum, in Cubao, Quezon City.
 
“They had a good game plan coming in,” San Mig coach Tim Cone said. “They really stymied our offence as we couldn’t get the ball to Denzel. But Denzel made tough shots in the end. He’s a big game guy; he’s a big moment guy. He knows how to step up in big moment.”
 
PBA, or Philippine Basketball Association, said on its website that defending champion Coffee Mixers took a 1-0 lead against the eliminations topnotcher Alaska Aces, whose team remains on top of this year’s playoffs with 11-3, in their best-of-five semifinals series. 
 
Despite having only five points in the first three quarters, Bowles rose up to seize the big moment by throwing the final eight points in the final one minute, 23 seconds of the game.
 
There were some shining moments for Alaska in the dying seconds, but Ace Jayvee Casio found himself wanting in-between the defences of Joe Devance and Bowles—in a game that saw the two teams engage in eight deadlocks and 13 lead changes.
 
But Bowles was a cut above the rest, banging away a “third straight basket off a looper with six seconds to go”, making the Mixers hold on “to take the crucial head start in the series”, the PBA said.
 
Cone, who won 9-0 in his personal battle with his former team, said, “It was a magnificent battle, maybe not pretty because it’s about defence, but it had a lot of heart. Everybody had to bleed for points.”
 
He added, “Every game would be like this—down-to-the-wire, emotional and about who makes the shot in the end.”
 
Bowles registered only 12 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as against Milkman Rob Dozier’s 21 markers, 15 boards and two assists. In the payoff period, however, Dozier managed to make just one basket.
 
Cone did not overlook the other guys, such as PJ Simon, Mark Barroca, Devance and James Yap, who carried the fight early on while Bowles was having a hard time against Alaska’s strong defence.
 
“We really need efforts like those dished out by PJ, Mark, Joe, James and the other guys,” Cone said. “It’s just one game, and the series would not get easier.”
 
Playing with a still sore lower back, Yap posted 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Scoreboard:

San Mig Coffee (Mixers) 71 – Simon 15, Barroca 13, Bowles 12, Yap 10, Devance 6, Gonzales 5, Pingris 5, Reavis 2, De Ocampo 2, Mallari 1, Najorda 0.

Alaska Milk (Aces) 69 – Dozier 21, Abueva 9, Hontiveros 8, Thoss 7, Baguio 7, Jazul 6, Casio 6, Espinas 5, Dela Cruz 0, Belasco 0.

Quarterscores: 7-11, 24-21, 50-48, 71-69