Beermen edge closer to finals
Game Tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 7 p.m. – San Miguel vs Rain or Shine (San Miguel leads series 2-1)
San Miguel Beer made sure this time that there would be no fourth quarter meltdown. The Beermen once again flaunted their shooting artistry and beat the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 114-108, to take a 2-1 lead in their bestof-five PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Forty-eight hours removed after blowing a 20-point lead in a 113-110 loss in Game 2, SMB was in control until the final buzzer with import Arizona Reid leading the charge with 37 points.
Reid shot 15-of-26 from the field and made 7-of-10 triples to put San Miguel a win shy of arranging a best-of-seven title showdown with Alaska – the team it beat during the Philippine Cup finals last January.
SMB Coach Leo Austria lauded his team for avoiding a late-game mishap.
“That was very frustrating. We led by 20 points but lost on a last shot. But that happens in a game. I told them (players) to set that aside, it’s a thing of the past,” said Austria.
Austria and company can finish off the Elasto Painters with a victory tomorrow at the Big Dome.
But if Rain or Shine gets its groove back and solve the riddle of SMB’s tor- rid shooting, a deciding fifth game will be held on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
San Miguel won by making 18-of-27 triples with Reid and Alex Cabagnot, who finished with 26 points, converting most of those shots.
The Beermen led by double digits in the second half but saw the Elasto Painters pull within 100-99 on Gabe Norwood’s triple.
But Reid countered with a three of his own, triggering a 9-2 run that gave back the control of the series to SMB.
Cabagnot had a three following two foul shots by ROS import Wendell McKines before Reid scored to make it 110-101 with 2:14 to play.
“We were in one direction today. I think the reason why we won was we were able to adjust on what they did to us the last time. Our zone defense worked. This game is very pivotal,” Austria said.
Cabagnot also had nine assists to highlight SMB’s fluid offense even as 6-foot-10 June Mar Fajardo bucked foul trouble to finish with 17 points. Marcio Lassiter, two days removed from his career-high 10-triple performance, also scored 17. McKines led ROS with 39 points after making 53 in Game 2.
RAIN OR SHINE 108