PBA: De Ocampo steps up as SMB trips NLEX in OT

June Mar Fajardo shoots over Asi Taulava. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Defending champion San Miguel Beer outplayed NLEX in the last six minutes even with the absence of its best player June Mar Fajardo to win, 88-80, in overtime in the 2016 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday night at Cuneta Astrodome.

Fajardo, the reigning back-to-back MVP, fouled out with 46.6 seconds left in regulation, but his disqualification only paved the way for Yancy de Ocampo’s heroics as the sparingly-used veteran came up big at the most opportune time for the Beermen.

The 35-year-old De Ocampo played his best game in years with 17 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.

De Ocampo scored 12 in the third quarter after Fajardo was subbed out as he picked up his fourth foul at the 10:46 mark, and added five more points in OT when the Cebuano giant was already reduced to a spectator with six fouls.

“Thank God we salvaged this game. This game is very important for us,” said SMB head coach Leo Austria, whose squad regained solo leadership at 8-1.

De Ocampo’s three-point play that drew Asi Taulava’s sixth foul put the Beermen ahead for good, 81-78, with 4:23 left.

NLEX guard Jonas Villanueva scored 20 points, including a game-tying triple, 78-all, with 13.4 ticks remaining to extend the game.

Taulava also had 20 points and six rebounds before fouling out apart from anchoring his team’s interior defense that limited Fajardo to his lowest output this season with only nine points and nine rebounds.

The Road Warriors slid to 4-5.