Terrrafirma guard Juami TIongson.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines–Terrafirma, against overwhelming odds, played with indomitable spirit all of Saturday to stun top-seeded San Miguel, 106-95, and drag the defending champion to a you-or-me clash in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
Cornerstone Juami Tiongson, top rookie pick Stephen Holt, and fit-again Isaac Go came up with big numbers at Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Malate, Manila, to cut the powerhouse club down to size and give the No. 8-seeded Dyip a fighting chance in a playoff matchup where they have slim chances of prevailing.
“We were playing good defense. They knew what they were doing inside,” said Terrafirma coach Johnedel Cardel, whose charges dealt the souped-up Beermen their second loss in the crown jewel tournament.
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“Before going into this game, we were not thinking that there was going to be a second game, that we had to hurdle a twice-to-beat disadvantage. What was important for us was to be a team … they followed instructions and this is what happened,” he added.
Tiongson finished with 29 points, six rebounds, and three assists. Holt had 25 points spiked with eight rebounds, and four assists while Go turned in a career-best 22 points that went with five rebounds in the triumph that also gave the franchise its first-ever playoff victory.
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Javi Gomez de Liaño chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds in the outing that pushed the endangered the No. 1 seed for the first time in five years.
NorthPort, seeded as the lowest in the 2019 Governors’ Cup, beat No. 1 NLEX twice to make that tournament’s Final Four.
June Mar Fajardo had 21 points and 16 rebounds to lead the stacked San Miguel side. CJ Perez chipped in 20 points and seven rebounds as the traditional powerhouse regroup for Sunday’s sudden death set at the same venue.
The Scores:
TERRAFIRMA 106 –Tiongson 29, Holt 25, Go 22, Gomez de Liano 15, Cahilig 6, Ramos 4, Carino 3, Camson 2, Alolino 0, Sangalang 0
SAN MIGUEL 95 – Fajardo 21, Perez 20, Cruz 11, Lassiter 10, Romeo 9, Tautuaa 8, Ross 5, Brondial 4, Trollano 4, Manuel 0
Quarterscores: 27-26, 54-49, 82-73, 106-95.