San Miguel Beer is looking more and more dangerous as the PBA Commissioner’s Cup wears on.
Not only do the Beermen have the best all-Filipino crew, they are also learning more and more to play sweet music with import Charles Rhodes.
But the biggest factor, as evidenced in a 109-80 demolition of Mahindra Wednesday night, is that the Beermen are taking a fun approach to games.
And it made the Floodbuster look silly all game at Cuneta Astrodome.
“I allowed them to laugh and enjoy the game,” San Miguel coach Leo Austria said after the lopsided victory, the Beermen’s fourth straight that put them within two more wins of a seat in the playoffs. “But I also told them to stick to our system.
“I was just surprised that the players played so hard while having fun,” he added after getting four players in twin digits and leading by as large as 34 to hand the Floodbuster their fifth defeat in six games. “I can’t say anything else about my players.”
That the Beermen posted the one-sided victory was no surprise; but doing it with reigning three-time MVP June Mar Fajardo playing less than nine minutes and missing all four of his shots certainly send shock waves to the rest of the field.
“We found the opportunity to rest June Mar and we did,” Austria said. “We want to prepare him for the bigger games.”
In the second game, Ginebra notched its third win in four outings with a 101-92 victory over NLEX.
The Road Warriors continued their winless spiral this conference after falling to their seventh straight loss.
SCORES
SAN MIGUEL 109 — MAHINDRA 80
SAN MIGUEL BEER 109—Cabagnot 26, Rhodes 20, Lassiter 18, Espinas 12, McCarthy 7, Reyes 6, Tubid 6, Santos 4, Van Opstal 4, Ross 2, Heruela 2, Agovida 2, Fajardo 0, Semerad 0, De Ocampo 0.
MAHINDRA 80—Wright 16, Celda 13, David 13, Corpuz 10, Revilla 7, Yee 7, Deutchman 6, Salva 4, Guevarra 2, Caperal 2, Paniamogan 0, Galanza 0, Teng 0, Ballesteros 0.
Quarters: 32-16, 55-31, 86-59, 109-80
GINEBRA 101 — NLEX 92
BRGY. GINEBRA 101—Brownlee 18, Devance 18, Aguilar 17, Tenorio 13, Ellis 9, Thompson 5, Mercado 5, Taha 4, Cruz 4, Ferrer 3, Marcelo 2, Caguioa 2, De Guzman 1, Helterbrand 0, Jamito 0, Mariano 0.
NLEX 92—Chism 16, Al-Hussaini 14, Camson 11, Lastimosa 8, Anthony 6, Khobuntin 6, Rios 5, Soyud 5, Alas 4, Lanete 4, Baracael 4, Monfort 3, Tiongson 3, Guinto 3, J. Villanueva 0.
Quarters: 27-28, 47-48, 89-62, 101-92