SMB stays sharp
ANTIPOLO—San Miguel Beer refused to lose a game it didn’t need to win Saturday night, rallying from four points down in the final minute to pull off a 98-94 win over TNT KaTropa in the PBA Philippine Cup at Ynares Center here.
June Mar Fajardo scored four straight points to knot the count at 94, before Alex Cabagnot drained the go-ahead triple with 23 seconds left as the Beermen, already assured of a twice-to-beat playoff privilege two weeks ago, closed out their elimination-round stint with a 10-1 record.
San Miguel’s Petron Saturday Special win also left the top standings all muddled up, as the No. 2 ranking—and the second win-once bonus in the quarterfinals—still hangs in the balance with three teams (Alaska, Rain or Shine and Star) still in it.
Rain or Shine, at 5-4, gets a crack to stay in that race at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay when the Elasto Painters tangle with a GlobalPort crew that will try to formally clinch a playoff spot.
Barangay Ginebra also shoots for a quarterfinal slot when it takes on also-ran NLEX in the 6:45 p.m. game.
Alaska will take on Rain or Shine this Wednesday at 7 p.m. after Star battles also-ran Mahindra at 4:15 p.m.
The Aces will clinch the second twice-to-beat privilege with a win even if the Hotshots prevail over the Floodbuster.
Star’s chances of nailing No. 2 rests on a Rain or Shine win over Alaska, since the Hotshots will beat the Elasto Painters in the tiebreak by virtue of the winner-over-the-other rule in case they end up with similar
7-4 records.
Incidentally, Star will be coming into that crucial match with a three-game winning streak. The Hotshots will take the momentum of their 120-73 victory over the Meralco Bolts in the first game.
SCORES
SAN MIGUEL 98 – TNT 94
SAN MIGUEL 98—Fajardo 20, Cabagnot 19, Lassiter 18, Santos 18, Ross 9, Reyes 7, Espinas 4, Garcia 2, Agovida 1, Heruela 0, Tubid 0.
TNT 94—Tautuaa 20, Castro 15, Fonacier 10, Rosales 10, De Ocampo 9, Carey 6, Reyes 6, Pogoy 6, Rosario 4, Williams 3, Rosser 3, Golla 2.
Quarters: 31-24, 53-50, 76-67, 98-94
