SMBeer seizes 2-1 series lead

There was little doubt San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo would finally seize his moment in the PBA Philippine Cup finals.

Unfortunately for Ginebra, it came at a time when the Gin Kings couldn’t come up with a response of their own.

The 6-foot-10 Fajardo finally stamped his authority in the championship series as San Miguel turned back Barangay Ginebra, 99-88, Wednesday night to seize a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven affair before a crowd of 16,772 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rested for most of the series opener due to an illness and plagued by foul trouble in Game 2, the three-time Most Valuable Player imposed himself with 17 points and 18 rebounds as the Beermen put up a strong finishing kick against a Ginebra team that looked solid before firing blanks down the stretch.

Fajardo helped key a closing 17-2 run for the Beermen, who held the Gin Kings scoreless in the last four minutes of the game after Joe Devance’s teardrop made it 88-84 for Ginebra.

“Without June Mar, it’s always hard for us to win,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “[It was a] big factor that we were able to get the ball to June Mar and some of the key players from the perimeter were ready to take the shot. There were a lot of extra passes, and I think that’s the key to winning tonight.”

Chris Ross continued his scintillating play at the point guard position with 24 points and eight assists, while Alex Cabagnot fired 20 points, including three triples for the Beermen. Marcio Lassiter also made up for his ejection in Game 2 with 16 points.

Tension rose after the game when some of the Beermen and Ginebra coach Tim Cone were seen shouting at each other in the hallway. Though Cone refused to comment on the incident, Austria felt the Gin Kings weren’t happy Ross nailed a triple with the outcome already decided.

The Gin Kings looked poised to take the lead for the first time in the series when they zoomed to a 41-29 advantage early in the second period. In the fourth, Kevin Ferrer nailed his third triple of the game for an 86-82 Ginebra lead with under six minutes remaining.

But Fajardo twice found Cabagnot and Lassiter open for triples, sparking the endgame rally.

“Our A-minus game wasn’t enough,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “We have to get it to A-plus.”