No surprise if SMB makes it 2-1 over TNT

DON’T be surprised if San Miguel Beer wins again on Sunday for a psychological 2-1 edge.

The Friday spanking the Beermen did on TNT Katropa was simply too glaring to ignore.

In key departments of Game 2, SMB routed TNT: 59-42 in rebounds, 11-4 blocked shots and 52-36 points in the paint.

With those figures alone, you automatically stop wondering why San Miguel Beer literally cruised to a 102-88 victory to level the PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven Finals at 1-1.

This, after SMB had gotten itself buried in a 17-0 hole by TNT’s blazing start, the Beermen starved to just five points in the first six minutes of the game.

This, after SMB had erected 30-point margins several times, slowing down a bit when there was still virtually a full fourth quarter left in the game.

And this, after SMB had horribly handcuffed TNT, the Beermen not allowing the Texters a single point in the first seven minutes of the second quarter while unloading bomb after bomb.

In winning Game 2, SMB had none of its errorprone play in Game 1 that allowed TNT to escape with a 104-102 cliffhanger behind Joshua Smith’s desperation baby hook shot.

Their egos “pricked” by that 17-0 TNT blast, the Beermen braved brickbats and fought back with the ferocity of a tiger wounded in a jungle combat.

Trimming their 17-point deficit to eight points at the end of the first frame and nine points at the half, the Beermen buckled down to business coming home.

They bombarded TNT like hell, raining shots from all directions, complimenting the blitzkrieg with a defense that forced numerous turnovers resulting in an avalanche of SMB points.

By third quarter’s ending, the Beermen were done destroying the Texters, building an insur- mountable 90-62 bulge.

Piqued in Friday’s game was Beerman Arwind Santos, who was grotesquely grabbed in the groin by RR Pogoy resulting in Pogoy’s ejection.

It exposed Pogoy’s rookie armor, fragile when the going gets tough.

It came just two days after Pogoy scored a career-high 27 points in TNT’s Game 1 triumph. He was zero in Game 2.

“After a bad start, the pride of my players was pricked,” said SMB coach Leo Austria, seeking a second straight PBA crown.

Let the freaking pricking begin.