SAN MIGUEL Beer’s Alex Cabagnot fires a shot against Globalport’s Doug Kramer. PBA IMAGES
JUNE Mar Fajardo showed up in his usual dominating self as San Miguel Beer jump-started its season with an emphatic 97-86 win over Globalport Saturday night at University of Southeastern Philippines gymnasium in Davao City.
Unstoppable around the rim, Fajardo produced MVP figures of 21 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks for the Beermen, who were never really threatened except for a few small bursts of life from the Batang Pier near the end.
“The expectations for us to win is just too high and we’re happy to get this victory,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.
Alex Cabagnot, Arwind Santos and Marcio Lassiter backstopped Fajardo when Globalport engaged them in a shootfest that reduced San Miguel’s 17-point lead early in the fourth to a single digit.
But matching the Beermen’s firepower without playing solid defense on the other end proved disastrous for Batang Pier.
Stanley Pringle picked up the tab for Batang Pier with 20 points and eight rebounds.
Meanwhile, after reaping tremendous success in his previous ballclub, coach Tim Cone now faces the intriguing challenge of revitalizing the Barangay Ginebra Kings.
The most adored team in town, which hasn’t won a single title since the 2008 Fiesta Cup, opens its season in the PBA Philippine Cup against the Star Hotshots Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Rain Or Shine aims for win No. 2 against the debuting Mahindra Enforcers at 3 p.m.
The end to Cone’s four-year stint at Star comes with a hint of drama as he takes over a club that he has tormented several times before as coach of the Purefoods franchise or the Alaska squad that he led to 13 crowns.
Now, Ginebra will be turning to Cone for salvation.
“I’m experienced enough from 27 years of coaching that things don’t happen overnight,” said Cone. “I will be patient because I know that’s really the secret to success, to be patient and let things happen, and I’ve seen that so many times in my career.”
At Cone’s disposal is the most menacing frontline in the league with seven-foot Greg Slaughter and 6-foot-9 Japeth Aguilar expected to occupy much of the space in the lane.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 97—Fajardo 21, Cabagnot 19, Santos 11, Lassiter 10, Espinas 10, Lutz 9, Reyes 4, Arana 3, De Ocampo 3, Heruela 3, Ross 2, Tubid 2.
GLOBALPORT 86—Pringle 20, Jensen 16, Yeo 13, Kramer 10, Maierhofer 6, Romeo 5, Uyloan 5, Washington 5, Mamaril 4, Taha 2, Paniamogan 0, Pena 0, Sumang 0.
Quarters: 20-26, 49-37, 71-58, 97-86