INQUIRER Sports

THERE ARE players who really love to play against their former teams. Include Arwind Santos in the list.

Santos churned out a brilliant all-around performance to power the scorching San Miguel Beermen to a 100-85 dumping of the Burger King Whoppers last night in the 35th PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Pasig City.

The six-foot-four Santos piled up a game-high 27 points, 12 rebounds, six blocked shots and three assists as he almost single-handedly carried the Beermen to their eighth consecutive win to jack up their record to 8-2 (win-loss).

Santos, who was unloaded by Burger King in the off-season, was also instrumental in San Miguel's 117-99 trashing of the same Whoppers squad in their first round of elimination encounter on Oct. 21.

In that game, Santos tallied 28 points, 18 rebounds, three steals and two assists. Santos keyed the Beermen's breakaway after falling behind early.

San Miguel only had a slim 72-67 lead after the third period but Santos waxed hot and pushed the Beermen to several 20-point leads.

Santos had to sit for three minutes in the remaining minutes of the fourth after committing a flagrant foul penalty one against Ronnie Matias.

But Santos had already inflicted heavy damage before sitting out as the Whoppers failed to recover on their way to their seventh loss in 10 games.

Lordy Tugade backed Santos with 20 points, Dennis Miranda chipped in 14. The Whoppers, who squandered a 30-point lead in their 105-118 loss to the Talk N Text Tropang Texters last Friday, were led by Richard Yee?s 14 markers. /EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA