PBA IMAGES
San Miguel Beer blew big leads before holding off Barangay Ginebra, 111-105, in double overtime in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Arizona Reid posted team-highs 26 points and 16 rebounds for the Beermen, who squandered a 24-point lead in the third quarter and allowed the Kings to rally from a nine-point deficit in the first OT.
“Wala na akong masasabi sa players from both teams. Ginawa nila lahat ng paraan para manalo,” said SMB head coach Leo Austria. “Doon sa last two extensions, wala na kaming palitan. Buti na lang our players were in top shape.”
Sensing danger, Reid took charge in the second OT and gave San Miguel a 109-103 lead. Japeth Aguilar, who earlier played the role of hero for Ginebra, turned to a goat after two crucial miscues late in the game. He threw an errant pass to Scottie Thompson that went out of bounds and muffed a layup with the Gin Kings facing a four-point deficit in the waning seconds.
Sluggish all game long, June Mar Fajardo managed to make his mark in the first extra period, nabbing six of his 17 markers in that frame. He also hauled down 17 boards.
Marcio Lassiter added 17 points on a 5-of-7 shooting from threes, while Alex Cabagnot got 16 markers, six boards, three assists, and two steals. Ronald Tubid also got a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds.
The Beermen rose to 4-1 tied in second place with the Mahindra Enforcer while the Kings had their three-game winning streak snapped as they slipped to 4-2.
Justin Brownlee led Ginebra’s comeback from 24-points down and sank a baseline fadeaway to tie the score at 89 with 30.1 seconds to spare.
Fajardo, the two-time MVP, then, led San Miguel in a 9-0 run to start the extra period, before the Gin Kings once again waged a comeback, punctuated by Aguilar drilling a triple from the top of the arc with 2.1 seconds to spare.
Brownlee ended up with 38 points, 22 rebounds, five assists, and two rejections in the losing effort for Ginebra.
LA Tenorio chipped in 17 markers, five boards, and five dimes, while Joe Devance had 16 points, six rebounds, and five assists before leaving the game in the final seconds with an injured left hamstring.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 111 – Reid 26, Fajardo 17, Lassiter 17, Cabagnot 16, Tubid 14, Santos 9, Ross 6, David 6, Arana 0, Heruela 0, Reyes 0.
GINEBRA 105 – Brownlee 38, Tenorio 17, Devance 16, Aguilar 13, Mercado 9, Ellis 8, Caguioa 4, Helterbrand 0, Cruz 0, Mariano 0, Thompson 0.
Quarters: 28-14, 51-36, 78-68, 89-89, 101-101, 111-105.