That explains why coach Jorge Gallent felt happy but a little regretful after his team’s 93-88 overtime win over San Miguel Beer last Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

"Masaya kasi we’re closer to our objective of making it (to the playoffs)," Gallent said. "At the same time, medyo nakakapanghinayang dahil (we did it) at the expense of San Miguel."

The Llamados posted their second straight win, jacked up their record to 4-4 and gave them at least a tie in one of the six playoff slots up for grabs.

The Llamados could avoid complications, formalize their entry into the
succeeding round and uphold a long-standing franchise tradition if they prevail over Talk N Text (6-1) on Friday.

The team, formerly known as Purefoods, has advanced past the eliminations in the last 13 conferences, the longest streak among active teams.

"At least we can rest at ‘yung legs namin won’t be that tired," said Gallent of their last game in the eliminations.

"If we were playing them on Wednesday magiging problema iyun. They’re really a running team and I think they’re the best offensive team, so it’s good we have time to rest and prepare against them."

The loss dropped the 18-time champion but now cellar-dwelling SMB to a 1-7 record. Even if it wins its last eliminations assignment against Rain or Shine on April 6, that will still not be enough to get the team into the top six.

It marked only the second time in the last 36 conferences since 1996 the Beermen failed to advance to the playoffs. They also failed to advance during the 2005-06 Fiesta Conference.

Making it all possible for Derby Ace, still missing the services of star James
Yap (calf strain) was the tough defensive stance it put up near just before the
end of regulation and in overtime.

Derby Ace held San Miguel to four points in the extra period and had a balanced offense to show in notching a second straight OT win after a 98-90 decision over Smart Gilas via the same route last Wednesday.

"Again we just stayed tough in the endgame," said Gallent. "We made the stops in the last parts of the game. Even if we weren’t making our shots we just have to stop them, which we did. We made the shots when it mattered most and San Miguel missed theirs. Iyun ang bottom line kung bakit kami nanalo."

Offense was provided by PJ Simon who pumped in 26 points and new import Courtney Beasley. Marc Pingris and Kerby Raymundo also had double-double outputs, offsetting Derby Ace’s 57-68 deficit in rebounding and 16-for-24 free throw shooting.

Raymundo fired 13 points, in the process becoming the 63rd PBA local player to make the league’s 5,000-point club. He added 10 rebounds.

Beasley, who arrived only last Friday and still feeling the effects of jetlag,
came through 17 points, 13 rebounds and four steals despite emerging as the
tourney’s shortest import at being barely just under 6-foot-2.

David Young led SMB with 28 points and 10 rebounds, with Rabeh Al-Hussaini adding 16 and nine, Jay Washington 13 and 14 and Alex Cabagnot 13, six and four assists.

The southpaw guard, who scored the winning shot in the Beermen’s lone previous match in Oct. 30 last year, again had the chance to be the hero anew but missed a running jumper just before regulation ended.

Arwind Santos scored only five points but did have 11 rebounds in a game where he got repeatedly burned by Simon, especially after regulation ended at 84-all.

Simon kicked off extra time with a spin move to elude Santos and then scored on a turnaround jumper, before knocking in a three-pointer over the long-limbed forward to give the Llamados a decisive 89-84 cushion.

After the Beermen closed in at 88-89, Pingris and Roger Yap came through with big hustle plays to clinch the win for the Llamados.

Noli Cortez, Business Malaya Insight