Cameron Clark. PBA IMAGES
ANTIPOLO—San Miguel Beer on Friday bucked a lethargic start to flatten the wheels of lowly Terrafirma, 122-102, annexing a third straight win to open its PBA Governors’ Cup at Ynares Center here.
Import Cameron Clark had 31 points and 14 rebounds as CJ Perez starred for the locals with 20 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in a runaway victory, hardly needing the presence of the Beermen’s other stars.
“That’s always going to happen,” coach Jorge Gallent said of his charges’ shaky start. “We’re not invincible. We started slow. We started flat. But after three minutes, we just woke up and brought out San Miguel Basketball.”
The Beermen overhauled a six-point first quarter deficit and then coasted until the final horn thanks to the added contributions of Mo Tautuaa, Allyn Bulanadi and Marcio Lassiter who all finished with at least 12 points.
June Mar Fajardo, San Miguel’s cornerstone, only had six points and nine rebounds in nearly 29 minutes of play—something that will surely change when the Beermen take on sister team Magnolia in its first of a string of acid tests that begins this Sunday when the games return at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Right after the Hotshots, the Beermen play Meralco and then sizzling-hot Converge, followed by NorthPort in a tight schedule that would also prime them for their appearance the East Asia Super League where they—along with Philippine Cup runner-up TNT—will take on the region’s finest teams in a quick tournament that will be held in Japan.
Jordan Williams had 30 points and eight rebounds, while Juami Tiongson added 20 more for the Dyip who dropped to 1-2, unable to build on a stunning win over the Bolts a few days ago.