Santos saves day as San Miguel Beer escapes Barako Bull

Hurting and all, Arwind Santos still found a way to lift San Miguel in the end.

Feeling stiffness on his hip and calf, the 2013 MVP shone the brightest in the end, cleaning up a loose ball and nailing the game-winning basket with 0.6 tenths of a second left to carry San Miguel Beer over Barako Bull, 106-105, in the 2016 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup Sunday at Ynares Center in Antipolo. With the Beermen down by one after a huge trey from RR Garcia, Marcio Lassiter muffed on his midrange try before Santos recovered the ball off a wild scramble and sinking the go-ahead bucket. Santos finished with 15 points, 10 of which coming in the second half fightback where San Miguel survived the torrid shooting from Barako Bull. “I’m happy to see him na sya pa rin ang tumira ng last shot,” said coach Leo Austria of Santos. Fajardo was once again stellar, leading the Beermen with 28 points and 20 rebounds whileRonald Tubid got 16 markers to keep San Miguel at the top of the standings with a 5-1 record. “It’s an ugly game for us, but a one point-win is still a win,” said Beermen head coach Leo Austria. “This should serve as a lesson for us that you cannot underestimate everyone in the PBA. Kailangan lahat pagukulan ng tamang panahon.” San Miguel escaped the Energy’s 11 3-pointers in the first half, a league-most, and finished with 17 treys, tying their second most triples made in franchise history. Josh Urbiztondo connected on five of his seven tries from rainbow country to pace Barako Bull (3-3) with 19 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while Willy Wilson had a double-double of 18 markers and 11 boards in the defeat.

The scores:

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SAN MIGUEL 106 – Fajardo 28, Tubid 16, Santos 15, Cabagnot 12, Espinas 11, Lassiter 11, Lutz 4, Ross 3, Arana 2, De Ocampo 2, Heruela 2, Reyes 0.

BARAKO BULL 105 – Urbiztondo 19, Wilson 18, Pennisi 15, Garcia 14, Baracael 9, Brondial 7, Fortuna 6, Monfort 6, Intal 5, Lanete 4, Caperal 2, Miranda 0.

Quarters: 28-18, 48-55, 76-80, 106-105.