ALASKA import Romeo Travis slips as he pivots for a shot off Meralco’s Sean Anthony (5) and Kelly Nabong in yesterday’s game at the Big Dome. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
SAN MIGUEL Beer rolled to a seventh straight win in the PBA Governors’ Cup last night after plastering Talk ‘N Text, 101-96, to practically assure itself of a twice-to-beat privilege in the first round of the season-ending conference’s playoffs at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen rallied from 15 points down in the first quarter and then peeled away in the fourth to tie the season’s longest winning streak Rain or Shine chalked up in the Philippine Cup for 7-2 overall.
San Miguel slapped a fourth straight loss on the Tropang Texters and put Talk ‘N Text at 3-5 overall, its chances of a top four berth gone kaput and a stint in the playoffs now hanging by a thread with three games left.
Arizona Reid scored 29 points and had 13 rebounds and four others tossed in twin digits for the Beermen, who won the Philippine Cup but fared dismally in the Commissioner’s Cup.
“With this win, I think we are already in the top four,” San Miguel coach Leo Austria said. “We needed this win to avoid any complications.”
Romeo Travis scored 24 points that went with 18 boards and Dondon Hontiveros had two big outside jumpers in the stretch that helped Alaska gut out an 89-75 win over Meralco in the first game.
Travis scored seven of his total in the fourth and Hontiveros six as the Aces held off the never-quit Bolts to rise to 6-2 and enhance their chances of clinching a top four berth in the first round of the playoffs.
The loss was the first in the last three games for the Bolts, who dropped to 4-4 overall to remain a win shy of the playoffs.
“At 6-2, I am really happy where we are at, but we have a tough stretch (to close out the eliminations),” Alaska coach Alex Compton said. The Aces play Barako Bull, San Miguel Beer and Globalport in their last three games.
The scores:
First Game
ALASKA 89—Travis 24, Casio 11, Banchero 10, Abueva 8, Hontiveros 8, Manuel 6, Thoss 6, Jazul 6, Dela Rosa 4, Exciminiano 4, Menk 2, Dela Cruz 0.
MERALCO 75—Emmett 28, Hodge 12, Ando 11, David 10, Nabong 7, Anthony 5, Ildefonso 2, Dillinger 0, Atkins 0, Corte 0, Hugnatan 0.
Quarters: 21-12, 42-35, 67-65, 89-75
Second Game
SAN MIGUEL 101—Reid 29, Lassiter 15, Santos 14, Cabagnot 11, Tubid 10, Fajardo 9, Espinas 7, Ross 4, Lutz 2, Reyes 0.
TALK ‘N TEXT 96—Castro 25, Pettigrew 17, Fonacier 11, Miller 10, Daghles 8, Williams 8, De Ocampo 8, Seigle 4, Carey 2, Rosser 2, Washington 1.
Quarters: 15-28, 45-45, 75-67, 101-96