Lassiter leads San Miguel in escape of NLEX

Marcio Lassiter. TRISTAN TAMAYO/INQUIRER.net

Marcio Lassiter was having the coldest of games but he found the spark with less than a second remaining.

Lassiter hit the game winner and pushed San Miguel past NLEX, 94-93, for its second straight win in the PBA Governors’ Cup Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen gained a share of the lead with Mahindra and Meralco while NLEX slipped to 1-1.

Down 93-91, Lassiter gave AZ Reid the pick and got himself open near the left wing to sink his only triple of the game at the with seven ticks to go.

Beermen head coach Leo Austria breathed a huge sigh of relief after Lassiter’s late-game miracle.

“Nasa bingit na kami ng pagkatalo, pero sinwerte pa rin kami,” said Austria. “Yung play namin para kay AZ dapat, and because of probably his instinct, nakita niya si Marcio na open.”

Before the dagger, Lassiter went 0-of-6 from deep, 3-of-10 overall from the field, to finish the game with eight points.

NLEX took a 93-88 lead with 1:03 remaining when Asi Taulava found himself open for a jumper from the top of the key.

Alex Cabagnot then got the outlet pass and pulled up for a right wing triple to cut the Road Warriors’ lead to two, 91-93, with 27 seconds left in the game.

Reid led the Beermen with 23 points and 11 rebounds while Alex Cabagnot added 19 points.

Reigning two-time MVP June Mar Fajardo came off San Miguel’s bench putting up 16 points and six rebounds while Gary David made the most of his 22 minutes to come away with 13 points, nine in the fourth.

Henry Walker led the Road Warrios with 33 points while Sean Anthony added 14.

The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 94 – Reid 23, Cabagnot 19, Fajardo 16, David 13, Lassiter 8, De Ocampo 6, Arana 4, Ross 3, Reyes 2, Heruela 0, Semerad 0, Tubid 0.
NLEX 93 – Walker 33, Villanueva J. 14, Anthony 9, Villanueva E. 8, Akl 7, Khobuntin 6, Taulava 6, Alas 4, Lanete 3, Monfort 3, Baracael 0.
Quarters: 23-22, 51-41, 68-68, 94-93