Beermen lean on Reid, Fajardo to beat Hotshots

Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

All San Miguel needed was the leadership of AZ Reid and the stability provided by June Mar Fajardo.

Motivated to bounce back from their shock loss to Mahindra, the Beermen bounced back with a 109-100 over Star Sunday in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The former Best Import awardee led the high-scoring affair with 34 points, 11 assists, five steals, and four rebounds, while the two-time Most Valuable Player scattered 28 markers on top of his 13 boards, two assists, two steals, and two blocks.

“The team is really on a high energy unlike our past few games. All the players, iisa ang goal nila tonight which is the W,” said coach Leo Austria.

Alex Cabagnot also added 21 points on a 3-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc, to go with seven rebounds, while Chris Ross chipped in a double-double of 14 markers, 10 assists, five boards, and two steals.

From 20-points down, the Hotshots waged back and fired a 13-5 run to start the fourth to get to as close as five, 88-83 with 8:03 left in the period.

Sensing danger, Austria brought back Fajardo, Cabagnot, and Chris Ross on the court as the trio partnered with Reid to fire an 11-3 tear to pull away and hold a 104-90 lead in the final 2:31 to seal the deal for good.

San Miguel rebounded from its 105-103 defeat to the Enforcers last Wednesday and improved to 3-1.

Star, meanwhile, went down to a 1-3 record.

James Yap topped the Hotshots with 20 points, while Marqus Blakely had 15 markers and 21 rebounds, but he committed 10 turnovers to add to Star’s demise.

RR Garcia also had 14 points, eight boards, and five assists in the defeat.

The scores:

SAN MIGUEL 109 – Reid 34, Fajardo 28, Cabagnot 21, Ross 14, Lassiter 7, De Ocampo 3, Tubid 2, Arana 0, David 0, Reyes 0.

STAR 100 – Yap 20, Blakely 15, Garcia 14, Melton 14, Barroca 11, Simon 10, Pingris 6, Mallari 4, Reavis 4, Maliksi 2, Pascual 0, Sangalang 0.

Quarters: 32-20, 56-39, 83-70, 109-100.