MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Beer broke down Air21 in the fourth period for a 101-88 victory in a Petron Saturday Special game to keep its twice-to-beat hopes in the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs alive at Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
With June Mar Fajardo on the bench with five fouls, point guards Sol Mercado and the returning Chris Ross instigated a telling 15-4 run that turned a 75-71 margin into a 90-75 edge that gave the Beermen a 5-4 card.
That tied them with the Express and both now wait for the results of the last three elimination games to find out if they would get a twice-to-beat privilege.
Talk ‘N Text, already assured of a quarterfinal bonus, battles Barangay Ginebra at 5:15 p.m. Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum. A win by the Gin Kings gives them the second prime slot in the first round of the playoffs.
Rain or Shine and defending champion San Mig Coffee, both at 5-3, will part ways tomorrow with the winner nailing a twice-to-beat bonus.
Should Ginebra win and with another berth at stake tomorrow, the final berth will be disputed by Air21, San Miguel Beer and the loser of the ROS-San Mig game. Alaska can join the tie with a win over Barako Bull at 3 p.m. today.
Things can get complicated if Alaska wins over Barako Bull and Talk ‘N Text beats Ginebra. That puts the Aces and the Kings at 5-4, along with tomorrow’s loser, San Miguel and Air21.
Because of the quotient system, Rain or Shine can lose tomorrow, fall into a tie with Ginebra, Alaska and San Miguel and still make it by virtue of wins over the Kings and the Beermen and a 51-point rout of the Aces.
Meralco exited in style earlier in the day after routing Globalport, 123-95.
The scores:
First Game
MERALCO 123—David 33, West 30, Hugnatan 19, Hodge 13, Dillinger 12, Cortez 6, Guevarra 6, Caram 2, Ballesteros 2, Wilson 0, Sena 0.
GLOBALPORT 95—Lowhorn 28, Washington 21, Cabagnot 10, Buenafe 6, Macapagal 6, Garcia 4, Ponferada 4, Acuna 4, Salvador 2, Romeo 2, Hayes 2, Lingganay 2, Yee 2, Menk 2.
Quarters: 34-15, 57-49, 93-77, 123-95.
Second Game
SAN MIGUEL BEER 101—Williams 27, Fajardo 20, Mercado 16, Ross 11, Santos 10, Kramer 9, Tubid 6, Chua 2, Lutz 0, Maierhofer 0, Lassiter 0.
AIR21 88—Sutton 26, Taulava 18, Yeo 12, Ramos 12, Cardona 6, Poligrates 6, J. Villanueva 6, Borboran 2, Atkins 0, Anthony 0, E. Villanueva 0, Camson 0, Menor 0.
Quarters: 31-23, 51-45, 75-68, 101-88.