Star escapes | Inquirer Sports

Star escapes

By: - Reporter / @MusongINQ
/ 11:52 PM June 10, 2017

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Aldrech Ramos put order in Star’s tentative finish on Saturday night, draining the dagger triple with 12.8 seconds remaining as the Hotshots held off San Miguel Beer, 109-105, in Game 1 of their Final Four series at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Hotshots almost blew a 13-point lead going into the final two minutes as they lapsed into miscues and needed Ramos to convert that triple from top of the key off a Paul Lee set-up as Star drew first blood in their best-of-five series.

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“That’s why he’s there,” said Star coach Chito Victolero, referring to the game-sealing bucket. “That’s what I keep telling my players, for them to shoot when they’re open.”

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Victolero is aware of what to expect on Game 2 set Monday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

“They (Beermen) will keep fighting, they’re a champion team,” he said as he guns for the first Finals appearance of his young coaching career after falling just a win short against Barangay Ginebra in this season’s Philippine Cup.

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“We (coaching staff) will review the game tape and see what we can still do,” he went on. “San Miguel will never give up.”

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Ricardo Ratliffe scored 26 points and grabbed 22 rebounds before fouling out in the dying seconds while Allein Maliksi also fired 26.

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Lee struggled against the San Miguel defense to finish with just four and eight assists.

Charles Rhodes had 34 points and reigning three-time MVP June Mar Fajardo had 24 for the Beermen, who beat the Hotshots in the eliminations, 103-97.

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