The loss halted the Whopper’s two-game winning streak and fell to 5 wins and 10 losses record for an automatic seat in the do-or-die knockout wildcard round. Despite getting atrocious calls from the refs, Burger King stays confident it could still get into the quarters.

Purefoods unleashed its first series of fine defensive stops at the start of the third quarter. The Giants, holding a 43-41 halftime lead, forced Burger King to commit eight turnovers and shoot miserably from the field (1-for-6) in a six-minute stretch.

That display of defensive brilliance allowed the Giants to make a run and seize a 54-43 advantage. They would stretch that lead to its biggest at 15, 70-55, on an Allado basket with 10:12 left to play.

But Richard Yee, a former Giant, led a blazing Burger King comeback. The Whopper detonated a 13-0 bomb to move to within 2 points, 77-75, but couldn’t complete the mission.

Beau Belga paced Burger King with 15, while Gary David contributed 14. Richard Yee added 10 while Ronjay Buenafe had nine points.

David, however, is expected to miss Burger King’s next game after he was assessed with an unjustified flagrant foul penalty 2 by the refs during the fourth quarter.