Beermen rout Batang Pier; Painters win

ALEX Cabagnot of Globaport goes for a layup off Jeric Fortuna of San Miguel Beer in yesterday’s match at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

San Miguel Beer notched a fourth straight win to grab a piece of the lead yesterday even as Rain or Shine slipped past NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Arwind Santos fired 19 points and June Mar Fajardo had a double-double of 17 points and 13 rebounds as the Beermen tied the idle Alaska Aces on top at 7-1 with a 95-69 rout of Batang Pier.

The Beermen held the Batang Pier to a measly six points in the first nine minutes of the second period to post several commanding leads that buried Globalport for good.

Globalport absorbed its third loss in its last four games and slipped to 4-5.

San Miguel has Meralco, Talk ‘N Text and newcomer Blackwater as its last three assignments and the Beermen need to win just two to at least finish at No. 2. A sweep would more or less guarantee top ranking.

Rain or Shine stayed in the hunt for a top two finish after Paul Lee instigated a swashbuckling finish that had the Elasto Painters roaring back from six points down in the final 44 seconds for a 95-93 win over the Road Warriors in the nightcap.

The former Rookie of the Year Lee hit five of the Painters’ final five points, including the go-ahead charities for 94-93 with 21.5 left before Beau Belga added another free throw and the defensive gem against Asi Taulava at the buzzer.

Rain or Shine, which played without four players, including gunner Jeff Chan, won a fourth straight game for a 6-2 card, just half-a-game out of the joint leaders, while the Road Warriors are now at 3-5.

“To have four guys not playing is a big setback,” Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao said. “But had we lost this game, it was because the other team played better than us.”

The Painters led by as big as 15 points early but found themselves in a see-saw game when the Road Warriors came out firing in the fourth period to even the lead by 91-84 with 2:22 left and 93-87 with 44.5 ticks to go after a Nino Canaleta basket.

The scores:

First Game

SAN MIGUEL 95—Santos 19, Fajardo 17, Ross 12, Tubid 12, Lutz 10, Fortuna 10, Pascual 8, Mercado 3, Maierhofer 2, Kramer 2, Lassiter 0, Omolon 0, Semerad 0, Chua 0.

GLOBALPORT 69—Isip 12, Pringle 11, Jensen 11, Cabagnot 10, Romeo 7, Baclao 6, De Ocampo 6, Pinto 2, Caperal 2, Buenafe 2, Semerad 0, Taha 0, Ponferada 0, Nabong 0.

Quarters: 21-17, 56-29, 77-52, 95-69

Second Game

RAIN OR SHINE 95—Lee 27, Norwood 12, Belga 11, Ibanes 9, Cruz Jericho 9, Uyloan 7, Quinahan 6, Tang 5, Arana 5, Almazan 4.

NLEX 93—Villanueva J. 22, Canaleta 15, Cardona 14, Taulava 14, Borboran 11, Ramos 6, Villanueva E. 5, Arboleda 4, Baloria 2, Hermida 0, Raymundo 0, Apinan 0, Camson 0.

Quarters: 25-19, 57-45, 74-65, 95-93