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| Terrence Watson of SMB is fouled by Phoenix Fuel's JC Intal while attempting a shot in a slice of PBA action. (Photo: PBA Media Bureau) |
By Ricky Manliguis
ANTIPOLO CITY—Another test, another cardiac win for
San Miguel.
Surviving the challenge of another eliminated team, the
Beermen crawled back from a grueling match-up to edge out Phoenix Petroleum,
109-107, in the main game of Wednesday action of the 2017 Oppo-PBA Governors’
Cup at the Ynares Center.
A neck-to-neck affair for majority of the match, the Grand Slam-seeking
Beermen proved steadier down the stretch, with import Terrence Watson, June Mar
Fajardo and Alex Cabagnot delivering the killer blows when it mattered most
against the listless Fuel Masters.
The win forced SMB to a three-team tie with idle
NLEX Road Wariiors and TNT KaTropa at 7-3 for the race for the quarterfinal
twice-to-beat incentive.
After Phoenix import Brandon Brown tied the ballgame
at 100-all, Watson slotted back-to-back hits, a jumper and a lay-up, for a 104-100 SMB edge, 1:46 left in
the game.
Fajardo then went perfect for the line off a Brown
foul, before Cabagnot laid the finishing touches with three charities of his own.
“I realized that when
you’re on top and you’re the team to beat, it’s really hard to win, especially
when you’re against a team at the bottom,” SMB coach Leo Austria said,
referring to the close wins against eliminated teams KIA Picanto and Phoenix.
Watson issued an
all-around outing with 26 points and 11 rebounds to go along with five assists,
three steals, and three blocks. Fajardo added a double-double 24 markers and 17
boards.
Cabagnot also chipped
in 24, 19 coming from the second quarter where SMB battled back from a 13-point
deficit early on. Arwind Santos and Marcio Lassiter combined for 28 markers on
five triples.
Phoenix’s Governors’
Cup campaign came to an end as it dropped to a 2-9 slate. Brown topscored with
30 points and 17 boards, even as Jeff Chan and JC Intal followed suit with 18
and 12, respectively.
The scores:
San Miguel 109 – Watson 26, Fajardo 24,
Cabagnot 24, Santos 15, Lassiter 13, Rosser 4, Espinas 3, Ross 0, Tubid 0.
Phoenix 107 – Brown 30, Chan 18, Intal
12, Eriobu 10, Alolino 9, W.WIlson 8, Dehesa 7, Wright 5, Lanete 4, Kramer 2,
Jazul 2, J. Wilson 0, Hayes 0, Miranda 0, Ababou 0
Quarterscores: 23-28, 56-52, 86-77, 109-107
Follow him on Twitter: @Teaching_Hero
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