Beermen squeak past Gin Kings

SAN MIGUEL Beer’s Rico Maierhofer keeps possession as the referee whistles off Ginebra’s Josh Urbiztondo for a holding foul in this scramble during last night’s game at the Big Dome. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / NUKI SABIO

San Miguel Beer had just one big man going up against Barangay Ginebra’s triple towers last night.

It wasn’t a problem for June Mar Fajardo.

The talented San Miguel cornerstone scored 21 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in helping the Beermen snap the Gin Kings’ three-game winning streak in the PBA Philippine Cup with a thrilling 79-77 decision at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It was three versus one,” a proud San Miguel coach Leo Austria said after his Beermen wrested second overall with a 5-1 card. “He was anticipating this game. Both teams went to their big men and June Mar is really our go-to guy.”

Fajardo, the 6-foot-9 reigning MVP who turns 25 today, and another former MVP, Arwind Santos, slugged it out toe-to-toe with the Gin Kings’ tall frontline, making the Beermen’s final seven points and helping avert an end-game collapse by San Miguel.

The Beermen surged to a 13-point lead early in the fourth period and was ahead by seven with just over two minutes left when the Kings caught fire, thanks to the 7-foot Greg Slaughter and former MVP Jay-Jay Helterbrand.

“We really prepared hard for this game because they (Beermen) knew that they were playing Ginebra and that the whole country would be watching,” Austria said. “I am happy for them because they really worked hard.”

The night belonged to Fajardo, who scored on a tight reverse with Slaughter all over him, snapping a 72-all tie going into the final 24.1 seconds.

Santos then made four straight free throws, sandwiching a Slaughter bucket.

And when the Kings threatened to within 77-78 after a Helterbrand three-pointer, Fajardo made a free throw with 5.1 to go, rounding out the scoring.

Ginebra, which also had the 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar and the 6-foot-6 Billy Mamaril, slipped to 5-2 and is now tied for third spot with idle Rain or Shine. The Elasto Painters ripped Meralco, 107-79, Saturday night in Davao.

Overshadowed by San Miguel’s high-wire win was the 87-71 victory of Barako Bull over KIA Motors in the first game. The decision put an end to the Energy’s five-game losing streak.

Barako Bull also barged into the magic circle of 10 teams that will march past the eliminations if the playoffs were to start today, bumping off the Sorento, who lost a sixth straight game after a season-opening win.

Slaughter would also have been the hero for the Kings had they pulled this one out, as he shot seven of his 16 points in the fourth period. Aguilar had nine, but had a crucial miss when he missed a dunk to finish off a perfect alley-oop pass from Slaughter.

Santos led the Beermen with 22 points.

First Game

BARAKO BULL 87—Pascual 22, Wilson 11, Miranda 9, Lanete 8, Garcia 7, Pennisi 6, Lastimosa 5, Intal 5, Marcelo 5, Hubalde 4, Paredes 3, Salvador 2, Salva 0.

KIA 71—Revilla 21, Cervantes 15, Alvarez 8, Webb 6, Jaime 5, Buensuceso 4, Lingganay 3, Pascual 3, Padila 2, Dehesa 2, Thiele 1, Sanga 1, Alonzo 0, Raymnundo 0.

Quarters: 22-14, 46-39, 66-53, 87-71

Second Game

SAN MIGUEL 79—Santos 22, Fajardo 21, Lutz 10, Pascual 7, Tubid 6, Chua 4, Ross 3, Lassiter 3, Mercado 2, Maierhofer 1, Semerad 0, Fortuna 0, Omolon 0.

GINEBRA 77—Slaughter 16, Aguilar 15, Tenorio 10, Helterbrand 10, Caguioa 7, Ellis 6, Mamaril 3, Urbiztondo 3, Yeo 3, Reyes 2, Brondial 2, Monfort 0, Baracael 0, Forrester 0.

Quarters: 14-17, 38-33, 61-49, 79-77