Hotshots end 4-game skid; Texters triumph

Games Wednesday (Cuneta Astrodome) 4:15 p.m. – Globalport vs Meralco 7 p.m. – NLEX vs San Miguel

It was no game-winning shot – far from it, but James Yap savored it as though he had won it at the buzzer for the Star Hotshots. So did Star coach Jason Webb. The Hotshots put the brakes on a dangerous four-game losing streak yesterday by turning back the Mahindra Enforcers, 104-96, and moving within a win of clinching a playoff berth in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Their third win in nine games distanced the Hotshots from 10th-running Mahindra (2-7), 11th-placed Blackwater Elite (1-7) and 12th-ranked Meralco Bolts (1-8). It also gave the TNT Tropang Texters (4-3), Barako Bull (4-4) and NLEX (4-4) free pass to the twophase quarterfinals where only two slots remain to complete the cast.

In the other game, the TNT Tropang Texters (5-3) foiled Rain or Shine’s bid to join defending champion San Miguel Beer and Alaska atop the standings after routing the Elasto Painters, 95-85, in a bewildering lopsided match which saw ROS (6-2) miss its first 21 shots from 3-point range and fall behind by as many as 25 points.

It was 17-0 to start with, 23-3 at one point, and 34-9 at the height of TNT’s dominance. ROS was 4 of 26 from rainbow territory overall, with its big men throwing bricks all night long: Beau Belga (0 of 4), Gabe Norwood (0 of 3), Raymond Almazan (0 of 3) and JR Quinahan (0 of 3).

A stalled offense and Mahindra’s red-hot outside shooting in the fourth quarter almost cost the Hotshots. But they turned to their defense to set up clutch baskets in the last two minutes and Yap finally hit a big one.

Mark Barroca had 9 of his conference best 26 points in the final period, including four 3-pointers, while Alex Mallari added 20, nine of which also came in the last 12 minutes punctuated by the go-ahead three-point play with two minutes left, 95-94.

Everything for the Hotshots evolved from two defensive plays triggered by sophomore Jake Pascual.

After Barroca cut Mahindra’s lead to 94-92, following the fifth fourth quarter triple by the Enforcers, Pascual swiped the ball from Kyle Dehesa and fed Mallari for a breakaway layup and one free throw.

Barroca then stripped a dribbling Paolo Hubalde and flicked a touch pass to a cutting Mallari, who had bro- ken back upon seeing Barroca pull off his sleight-of-hand.

Webb was repaid for his decision to keep Yap inside despite his 5 of 16 shooting and 2 of 9 from 3-point range.

Off a timeout with 1:24 left, Yap scored on a driving layup to make it 99-94. Then with the game clock winding down, Yap picked up a long rebound from Mallari’s miss and swished one from about 25 feet to cap Star’s strong finish.

Barroca 26, Mallari 20, Yap 15, Simon 11, Pascual J. 10, Taha 6, Pingris 5, Sangalang 4, Melton 3, Cruz 2, Torres 2.

Ramos 26, Dehesa 24, Pascual 11, Canaleta 8, Guinto 8, Yee 8, Revilla 5, Digregorio 4, Hubalde 2, Alvarez 0, Pinto 0, Webb 0.

Quarters: 24-18, 46-42, 73-69, 104-96.

Tautuaa 27, Rosario 19, Fonacier 9, Castro 9, Rosser 8, Reyes R. 8, Carey 4, Miranda 4, Williams 4, Aban 3, Reyes J. 0.

Quinahan 21, Chan 15, Cruz 14, Almazan 13, Ahanmisi 8, Trollano 5, Belga 3, Nimes 2, Norwood 2, Matias 1, Tiu 1, Ibanes 0, Ponferada 0.

Quarters: 34-11, 50-27, 70-54, 95-85.