Alex Mallari of Star Hotshots(Light) vs Chris Ross of San Miguel (Dark)
JUNE Mar Fajardo and Arizona Reid each recorded a double-double and San Miguel Beer held off Star, 100-89, for its third straight win in the 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Fajardo, the reigning MVP, posted 21 points and 20 rebounds while Reid scored a team-high 29 points on top of 11 rebounds for the Beermen, who blew a 19-point lead.
“We know from the very start that this will be a tough game for us because both teams need to win,” SMB head coach Leo Austria told reporters.
San Miguel appeared to be on its way to an easy victory after taking a 52-33 lead early in the third quarter. But the Hotshots made the game interesting late – pulling within single digits – before the Beermen kept them at bay behind Fajardo and Reid.
“I have to give credit to my players because now we are focused. We are now in one page, same page,” Austria said.
It was a heated encounter that saw several technical fouls. Beermen forward Arwind Santos got ejected after picking up two technicals in two separate instances. Santos was thrown out with still 9:34 left after repeatedly swinging his elbows with Hotshots import Marqus Blakely in front of him.
The referees had to get in between the two players and then had to separate Santos and Star head coach Tim Cone, who approached and had some words towards the former MVP.
Blakely also scored 29 points but it was Reid who came through for his team in a battle of two former Best Imports. Reid made back-to-back baskets in the final 1:27 including a nifty one-legged fadeaway over his defender Alex Mallari that stretched the Beermen’s lead to seven, 96-89, with exactly 52 seconds remaining.
The Beermen improved to 3-2 while the Hotshots suffered their third loss in a row and slid to 1-3.