“If we don’t get them on Friday, this is nothing," declared Cabagnot, hero in the Beermen’s dramatic 86-84 win over the Kings that gave the No. 2 seeded team the headstart in their best-of-seven semis duel.

Game 2 is on Friday, 5 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

For the Beermen to repeat, coach Ato Agustin acknowledged that key adjustments must be made against a team noted for its never-say-die attitude.

“We’ll just have to make adjustments, especially on their pick-and-roll at the top of the key," said Agustin in the post-game interview. “We were just lucky in Game One."

Lucky too, was defending champion B-Meg Derby Ace, which eked out an 88-87 win over Talk `N Text after Tropang Texters failed to call a timeout. Instead, the players rushed to the other end for the final play and Jimmy Alapag committed a costly error in trying to dish off to Ryan Reyes.

The blunder allowed the Llamados to even the series at 1-1 going into Game Three of their own semis, which begins at 7:30 p.m.

Jorge Gallent, the rookie coach of the Llamados, said it is to their advantage if the best-of-seven series goes the distance.

“The longer this series goes, the better it is for us," he said. “It now boils down to a best- of-five. Our victory was really big. It prevented us from going down 0-2"

Although obviously disappointed with the Tropang Texters’ loss – which James Yap sealed by intercepting Jimmy Alapag’s pass to the cutting Reyes – coach Chot Reyes egged on his team to put the setback behind them.

The Tropang Texters fell behind by as much as 37-52, but threatened in the final 37 seconds when Ranidel de Ocampo lobbed the ball off an inbound play for a perfect alley-oop pass to Williams, who slammed the ball in and shoved Talk N Text within striking distance, 88-87.

“We have to take our heads out of our rear ends and put them back on our shoulders where they belong." said Reyes.

Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico is also taking the same stance as far as his team is concerned.

“It’s still far from being over," he said “We just have to set aside our loss in Game One and focus on Game Two."

The Kings almost had the game in the bag, rallying back from a 65-79 deficit early in the fourth period to grab the lead, 84-82, on a Mark Caguioa basket that capped a strong 19-3 Ginebra run.

Cabagnot drained an open jumper to tie the score at 84, but left the Kings with still 21 seconds to win the game outright.

But Rudy Hatfield threw a pass that was too wide for Caguioa to catch, giving the ball back to the Beermen.

With still 18 seconds left to plot their game-winning play, the Beermen went to Cabagnot, who delivered the bucket to stun the predominant Ginebra crowd.

“You’re in for a good series," Jay Washington vowed after San Miguel’s tense win.

Rey Joble, GMA News