Seigle milestones force SMB-Red Bull rubber

Danny Seigle extended his run of 20-point-plus games to 18 and hit the 5,000-point plateau, and his teammates preserved his feats as San Miguel subdued Red Bull, 116-101, to force a do-or-die match in their Gran Matador Brandy PBA Philippine Cup Final Four showdown at the Astrodome last night.

Seigle actually had his lowest output in the series with 21 points but four of his teammates also finished in double figures in an explosive and balanced San Miguel offense which Red Bull just couldn’t stop.

The Beermen came out strong with their back against the wall, leading from start to finish and erecting 19-point spreads twice in sending the series to a deciding Game Seven Sunday in the same venue.

"I guess they (the Bulls) became a little complacent with the 3-2 lead. Maybe, they thought it would be easy but my players had other things in mind," said San Miguel coach Jong Uichico.

"I expect war Sunday. If we play the same way, we’ll have a good chance," Uichico added.

For the record, San Miguel has yet to win a Game Seven under coach Uichico while Red Bull has yet to lose the same kind of pressure-laden game in the team’s entire history.

But to Seigle, these records didn’t mean a thing if they would lose the series. "There’s always a first time," said Seigle, confident they can hurdle Red Bull to get a shot at another crown.

Seigle breached the 20-point mark for an unprecedented 18th straight game and hit the 5,000-point plateau on two free throws off a foul by Larry Fonacier with 10:13 left in the game.

Meanwhile, the stakeholders of Pilipinas Basketball will convene at 9 o’clock this morning at the Holiday Inn-Galeria Hotel to discuss and establish the organization’s future activities.

The 6-foot-7 Fil-American forward became the 53rd player to join the 5,000-point club. Curiously, the last two players to make it to the elite club were two other San Miguel stars Olsen Racela and Danny Ildefonso.

Taking a little pressure off Seigle were Racela, Ildefonso, Chris Calaguio and Dorian Pena who also churned out huge numbers in the crucial setto.

Calaguio had his biggest production in an SMB uniform with 23 points with Racela adding 18 points, four assists and two rebounds, Pena 18 points and 13 rebounds and Ildefonso 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Dondon Hontiveros, Wesley Gonzales, Brandon Cablay, Francis Adriano and Migs Noble had their contributions as the Beermen pulled off their second most productive game in the tourney.

The Beermen did this by shooting 51.2 percent from the field as against the Bulls’ mediocre 40.6-percent clip.

So hot were the Beermen that they broke the game wide open early at 43-25 late in the first half.

The Bulls came within five, 63-68, on a searing attack by Lordy Tugade, Topex Robinson and Mick Pennisi but the Beermen waged another daring breakaway at the onset of the payoff period and never looked back from there.