SMB stays in top seed hunt with rout of ROS

Vic Manuel played huge in a crucial San Miguel win. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASIG—San Miguel has done its part in making a late push for the top seed in the PBA Governors' Cup quarterfinals with a 129-116 win against Rain Or Shine in the penultimate game of the elimination round on Friday at the PhilSports Arena.

The Beermen asserted their might early on after racing to a 36-23 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Elasto Painters got their offense going in the second quarter to trim the lead down to six, 62-56, at halftime, but the Beermen responded with a 38-point third quarter to spark a dominating second half.

Vic Manuel and Mo Tautuaa each scored 23 points to lead SMB, with the latter grabbing 12 rebounds for a double-double.

Marcio Lassiter, Cameron Clark, and CJ Perez chipped in 20 points each, with Perez also collecting 12 boards as their team finished its elimination round campaign at 9-2, assuring that the team will finish at least in second place.

The Beermen must now hope that Barangay Ginebra would only beat the TNT Tropang Giga by no more than four points in the last elimination round game later Friday.

Gian Mamuyac put up 23 markers, 10 caroms, six assists, two steals, and one block to lead ROS, which finished its season with a 2-9 record in the season-ending conference.

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