PBA IMAGES
Defending champion San Miguel Beer clinched the No. 1 seed after nipping GlobalPort, 106-100, in the 2017 PBA Philippine Cup Saturday night at Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu City in Cebu.
Arwind Santos exploded for 31 points on top of 10 rebounds to lead the Beermen, who have now won eight games in a row and rose to 9-1.
June Mar Fajardo also posted a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds while Marcio Lassiter fired 22 points built on four 3-pointers for San Miguel.
Santos’ 31 points are his most since setting a career-high 34 points in a win over Rain or Shine in the 2012 Commissioner’s Cup.
Stanley Pringle had 21 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting from the field that went with six rebounds while Terrence Romeo added 16 points and nine assists for the Batang Pier.
GlobalPort slipped into a five-way tie in second place with Barangay Ginebra, Phoenix, TNT and Rain or Shine with similar 5-4 slates.
Romeo has now scored at least 10 points for the 45th straight time, according to the league’s head statistician Fidel Mangonon.