SMB downs Phoenix, boosts bid for No. 2
PBA IMAGES
SAN MIGUEL Beer found also-ran Phoenix Petroleum unusually tough Sunday night before pulling out a 121-109 victory that kept the Beermen within range of gaining the last twice-to-beat privilege in the first round of the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen rallied from 19 points down early and needed a burst of offensive brilliance late in the third to gain control before rising to 7-3 and keep the inside track in the race for the second playoff bonus.
As things stand, Meralco is assured of the first quarterfinal bonus with the Beermen, idle Barangay Ginebra, Alaska, Rain or Shine and defending champion Tropang TNT still in the equation, depending on the results of the last two playing dates.
Among those still in the running, it is only the Beermen who hold their fate in their hands.
“We all know how important this game is for us,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “They (Fuel Masters) scared us in the first half, and it was a good lesson for us. They fought really hard in the first half.”
The Beermen will play the Texters in the final game of the elimination round Friday, with a win sealing the second twice-to-beat edge.
A loss, however, would allow TNT and Rain or Shine, which thumped Blackwater, 118-107 in the first game, to claim a second-place tie at 7-4. And if Ginebra beats Meralco on Wednesday and Alaska upends NLEX also on Friday, it will be a five-team tie for second spot that will require a playoff to break the tie.
That playoff will only feature the top two teams after the quotient system is applied, and San Miguel doesn’t want that to happen because its 26-point loss to the Gin Kings could well boot the Beermen out of the race.
The bottom three teams will then grab the Nos. 4-6 slots and will be in two best-of-three series where the loser of the playoff game will qualify as No. 3 and will clash with the sixth-ranked team. No. 4 and 5 will collide for places in the Final Four.
Tyler Wilkerson hit 40 points, Alex Cabagnot dropped 16 and Marcio Lassiter hit all of his 14 in the final two periods for San Miguel.
The scores:
First Game
RAIN OR SHINE 118—Quiñahan 15, Chan 12, Henderson-Niles 12, Almazan 11, Ponferada 11, Teng 10, Norwood 7, Ahanmisi 6, Belga 6, Cruz 6, Ibanes 6, Lee 6, Tiu 5, Trollano 3, Nimes 2.
BLACKWATER 107—Lastimosa 27, Erram 20, Rhett 19, Cervantes 14, Pascual 7, Cortez 6, Bulawan 5, Gamalinda 4, Dela Cruz 2, Reyes 1, Agovida 0.
Quarters: 29-24, 61-49, 80-76, 118-107
Second Game
SAN MIGUEL 121—Wilkerson 40, Cabagnot 16, Lassiter 14, Fajardo 12, Espinas 12, Ross 8, Santos 8, Heruela 4, Arana 3, David 2, Tubid 2, Lutz 0, Reyes 0, Semerad 0.
PHOENIX 109—Pinkney 38, Intal 14, Urbiztondo 10, Pennisi 8, Garcia 8, Monfort 6, Forrester 6, Lanete 4, Baracael 4, Wilson 3, Caperal 2, Miranda 2, Sorongon 2, Brondial 2, Knuttel 0.
Quarters: 22-32, 54-55, 87-78, 121-109
