INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines?San Miguel Beer bounced back from an unexpected loss with an unexpected domination of Sta. Lucia Realty, 89-71, Thursday night to take the solo lead in the elimination round of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City.

Coming off a shock setback to tournament long shot Red Bull, the star-studded Beermen started out cold but gained momentum late in the second quarter to win for the fifth time in seven matches.

The Beermen practically choked Kelly Williams throughout the game, limiting the reigning MVP to a three-point basket?the 6-foot-7 Fil-Am swingman?s lowest output since joining the league last year.

Williams? previous lows were two five-point efforts coming against Alaska in January last year and against Air21 last November.

The Realtors started off strong, racing to a 7-0 lead and were in command for most of the first half using a 7-of-18 clip from beyond the arc.

But Sta. Lucia lost steam in the second half and dropped to a level 3-3 card in a tie with four others.

The Beermen rallied in the third and kept pouring on the heat in the fourth quarter as Lordy Tugade hit a triple and Dorian Peña a short stab for a 77-66 San Miguel lead.

Meanwhile, Air21 seeks a fourth straight win when the Express clash with the back-to-form Purefoods Giants on Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.

The Express hope to match the tournament?s longest winning streak and put the team over .500 for the first time since starting out with a 0-3 card.

Fresh from a 109-107 victory over Alaska, the Express are listed as odds-on favorites in the 7:30 p.m. game with the Tender Juicy Giants likely to miss one vital element in their rotation.

Purefoods could be without former MVP James Yap, who has been listed as day-to-day because of sprain on both ankles and a bad back.

?Never will you hear a player like James say ?coach, I can?t play anymore,? Gregorio said after the Tender Juicy Giants snapped a four-game losing streak last Sunday with a 92-81 decision of Barangay Ginebra.

?He?s had those injuries for so long and so now, we are listing him as day-to-day.?

Talk ?N Text and Rain or Shine try to bounce back from losses suffered against separate foes when they collide in the 5 p.m. opener.

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL 89?Tugade 19, Pena 15, Washington 14, custodio 11, Hontiveros 11, Gonzales 9, Villanueva 6, Racela 2, Bono 2, Pennisi 0.

STA. LUCIA 71?Omolon 15, Yeo 13, Espino 9, Gonzales 9, Aquino 7, Mendoza 6, Miranda 6, Williams 3, Coronel 3, Mamaclay 0, Daa 0.

Quarters: 15-21, 40-42, 65-56, 89-71