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| PBA |
By Jason Espiritu
PASIG--San Miguel is not done fighting yet.
The Beermen avoided a potential series-clinching sweep by the Alaska Aces and forced a fifth game of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals with a 110-104 overtime win in Game 4 on Sunday night at the PhilSports Arena.
Alaska actually had a great chance of hoisting the Philippine Cup trophy in regulation when Jvee Casio hit a booming triple at the left corner to help post a 93-82 lead with about three minutes left.
But San Miguel, who struggled down the stretch in the first three games of the series, turned tables against Alaska and manufactured a 14-0 run led by Gabby Espinas and was capped by Arwind Santos’ layup from a Ronald Tubid drop pass to give the team its first lead of the second half, 94-93 with 26 seconds remaining.
Jvee Casio committed a turnover in the ensuing play and Ronald Tubid hit two crucial free throws to put SMB up 96-93 with 19.8 seconds remaining.
Calvin Abueva kept the Aces in the game after scoring on a runner to cut the lead to one, 96-95.
Alaska appeared to have a great chance of stealing the win in regulation after Arwind Santos muffed two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining, but Chris Ross collared the offensive rebound and made two charities of his own to up the lead back to three, 98-95, with 4.5 ticks on the clock.
A three-pointer by Cyrus Baguio at the buzzer forced overtime.
Vic Manuel, who was playing the best stretch of games in his career, started the overtime period with four quick points to give Alaska a 102-98 lead with under four minutes left.
But again, SMB showing its championship grit once more, outscoring Alaska 12-2 in the final 3 minutes of OT to live to fight for another day and force Game 5 on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ross' hustle, Alex Cabagnot's crucial go-ahead trey, Yancy de Ocampo’s midrange jumper, and Santos' block sufficed for SMB’s gallant stand in OT.
Marcio Lassiter had 26 points, Gabby Espinas added 21 points and 14 rebounds, and Ross flirted with a triple-double of 11 points, 12 rebounds, and nine assists to lead the Beermen.
Vic Manuel led six Aces in double digits with 20 markers, but they failed to become the first team to sweep the Beermen in a finals series.
Box Scores:
San Miguel 110–Lassiter 26, Espinas 21, Cabagnot 16, Ross 11, Santos 11, Tubid 8, De Ocampo 6, Lutz 4, Reyes 4, Heruela 3, Arana 0, Omolon 0, Semerad 0
Alaska 104–Manuel 20, Abueva 14, Hontiveros 14, Casio 13, Banchero 12, Baguio 11, Thoss 9, Exciminiano 5, Jazul 4, Baclao 2, Dela Rosa 0, Menk 0
Quarterscores: 20-28, 43-49, 69-77, 98-98, 110-104
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