beermen stay strong

Games today (Rizal Memorial Coliseum) 3 p.m. – Blackwater vs Terrafirma 6:15 p.m. – Converge vs Magnolia

What championship hangover?

As if not coming off a chip celebration and 30 days without games, a sharp San Miguel Beer hit the ground running in the PBA Philippine Cup and preyed on Rain on Shine, 109-97, yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen, who captured the Commissioner’s Cup crown on Valentine’s Day, took little time to heat up and seize control from the more match-fit Elasto Painters en route to the smashing debut win.

“The players are all just locked-in again now,” said SMB coach Jorge Gallent, whose wards are out to repeat as All-Filipino kingpin and make it a twin-kill for Season 48.

“They knew what this game meant because it’s our first game of the conference and it’s really good to start on the winning note. That’s why they played hard today.”

After beating Magnolia for the Commissioner’s Cup crown, 4-2, the Beermen gave the players a 14-day breather before opening camp for the Philippine Cup title defense only last March 4. It was serious business for everyone.

“Our last four practices were especially intense and we brought this into the game,” said Gallent, who also lauded the Beermen for working out on their own during their break to stay in condition.

Marcio Lassiter served as fire-starter with his barrage of triples in the second quarter that helped SMB create separation from ROS, 5645. The Beermen went on to lead by as many as 20 at 107-87.

Lassiter finished with 17 spiked by a 5-of8 shooting from beyond the arc to join four teammates in double figure cards.

Jericho Cruz, who played for Guam in the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers after the SMB championship, showed the way with 20.

Don Trollano banged in 16 with nine boards while June Mar Fajardo, back from calf injury that sidelined him in Gilas Pilipinas’s ACQ campaign, produced 15-10. Terrence Romeo shot 13 in his first appearance since missing the tailend of last conference due to ankle injury.

Leonard Santillan dished out career-highs of 31 markers and 14 boards but it went down the drain as ROS fell to 0-4.

Meanwhile, the PBA holds its Saturday doubleheader at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum, marking a long-awaited return to its old stomping grounds back in the 1980s. The scores: First Game San Miguel 109 – Cruz 20, Lassiter 17, Trollano 16, Fajardo 15, Romeo 13, Tautuaa 7, Perez 7, Teng 6, Brondial 5, Enciso 3, Ross 0, Manuel 0

Rain or Shine 97 – Santillan 31, Belga 18, Clarito 18, Caracut 9, Mamuyac 9, Belo 5, Nocum 3, Borboran 2, Demusis 2, Concepcion 0, Norwood 0, Asistio 0

Quarterscores: 24-22, 56-45, 91-73, 109-97