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San Miguel had its guns ablaze and torched GlobalPort, 120-109, for its first win in the 2016 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Tyler Wilkerson waxed hot from rainbow country as finished with 52 points on a 7-of-11 three-point shooting, alongside 11 rebounds and four blocks, as his explosive 34-point first half set the tone for the whole game.
The Marshall University standout’s production was also a league season-high, a first since Rain or Shine’s Wendell McKines went for 53 points in the 2015 Governors’ Cup semifinals.
Marcio Lassiter also found his stroke from beyond the arc on an 8-of-14 sniping en route to 28 markers that went with six assists and four boards.
The Beermen shot 19-of-36 from threes for the game, equalling the sixth-most all-time in PBA history and second all time-most in franchise history.
June Mar Fajardo also went for 15 points and five rebounds, while Alex Cabagnot got 12 markers and five boards.
“I think it’s a good win for us considering na we’re pressured to win our first game kasi kami lang ang team na walang panalo,” said a relieved coach Leo Austria, who credited his stars in the big victory.
It was a struggle of a game for the Batang Pier, as Terrence Romeo got himself into foul trouble early with three fouls in the first quarter alone. The dynamic scorer still wound up with 22 points.
Calvin Warner tallied a double-double of 27 markers and 16 rebounds, while Stanley Pringle got 19.
Pringle, the reigning Rookie of the Year, however, was unable to finish the game after spraining his right ankle at the 9:14 mark of the fourth, foiling GlobalPort’s chances of mounting another fightback.
The Scores:
SAN MIGUEL 120 – Wilkerson 52, Lassiter 28, Fajardo 15, Cabagnot 12, Ross 5, Tubid 4, Espinas 2, Semerad 2, Arana 0, De Ocampo 0, Heruela 0, Lutz 0.
GLOBALPORT 109 – Warner 27, Romeo 22, Pringle 19, Washington 13, Taha 9, Mamaril 7, Yeo 6, Sumang 4, Kramer 2, Maierhofer 0, Semerad 0.
Quarters: 34-23, 67-58, 93-86, 120-109.