MANILA - Defending champion Ginebra Kings banked on a fourth quarter blazing run to pull off a 116-103 win over San Miguel Beer for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series of the 2009 PBA-Motolite Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

David Noel, Erik Menk and Jay-Jay Helterbrand conspired in the big rally by outscoring the Beermen 18-7 to break a 78-tie for a 96-85 lead.

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Despite the absence of Danny Ildefonso and Marc Pingris, the win wasn’t a walk in the park for the Kings.

“It was really scary. I was worried in the first half. I did not expect to play that way in the first half, ” said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico, who is aiming for his ninth title as a coach.

The Beermen even held the upperhand three-fourths of the way only to collapse in the pivotal period due to successive turnovers by Mick Pennissi and Jay Washington.
Those miscues allowed the Kings to stage the fiery uprising.

“They (Beermen) were really dominating the first three periods. And we could not defend. It was just good that Jay-Jay (Helterbrand) made a suggestion and I followed it,” said Uichico.

“Jay-Jay said ‘Coach let us try Willie (Wilson) and let us see what is going to happen.’ It really worked well and we were able to defend against them already,” Uichico said.