Party time for San Miguel Beer
The battle-tested San Miguel Beermen won their fourth consecutive PBA Philippine Cup title the hard way last night, erasing a 23-point third quarter deficit before needing two overtime periods to finish off the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok, 108-99, before more than 10,000 fans at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Arwind Santos forced a first overtime with a three-pointer late in regulation before June Mar Fajardo took charge in the second extension to complete the Beermen’s comeback from a 71-48 deficit with 4:37 left in the third and extend their reign in the most important championship of the three-conference PBA season.
San Miguel joined the fabled Crispa franchise as the only two teams to bag a four-peat in the tournament originally known as the All-Filipino Conference. But the Redmanizers had to do it in a six-year stretch from 1979 to 1984 when the league failed to hold such competition during the 1981 and 1982 seasons.
“They showed the heart of a champion,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria, praising his players’ refuse to lose attitude that enabled him to win a sixth title in 10 conferences since taking over the onceunderachieving franchise prior to the 2014-15 season.
After dealing with the stingy defending of the Magnolia frontline in the earlier games of the series, Fajardo saved his best for last by registering a playoff career-high 42 points on top of 20 rebounds, his fourth career 40-20 game, to earn the nod as the Cignal-PBA Press Corps Finals Most Valuable Player.
Santos had 23 points and 11 rebounds, but his biggest contribution came with 16.5 left in the fourth quarter when he drained a rightelbow three to level the count at 86-all.
Chris Ross fell a pair of steals short of the PBA’s first-ever quadruple double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists and eight steals and Marcio Lassiter had 16 points, joining Fajardo and Santos as among the players who logged at least 50 minutes each.
Magnolia was left to ponder on its failed attempt to extend the Finals to a sixth game, but will probably feel a little satisfaction of making the finals after semifinal exits in all three conferences last season.
Paul Lee finally broke out a shooting slump with 21 points on 7-of-14 after a 29-percent clip in the previous four games but he and the rest of the Hotshots succumb to multiple miscues when it mattered that allowed the Beermen to capitalize.
Lee and Ian Sangalang combined for 15 turnovers, most of which came during the time the Beermen almost had the momentum on their hands.
Rome dela Rosa produced a career-high 19 points, including a three with under two minutes in the first overtime for a 93-90 Magnolia lead. But San Miguel eventually sent the contest to a second overtime on a Fajardo basket for 94-all.
SAN MIGUEL 108 – Fajardo 42, Santos 23, Lassiter 16, Ross 13, Cabagnot 7, Heruela 3, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, Espinas 2.
99 – Lee 21, Dela Rosa 19, Reavis 13, Barroca 12, Sangalang 11, Ramos 8, Gamalinda 6, Jalalon 5, Pascual 2, Brondial 2.
Quarters: 19-21; 37-53; 60-74; 86-86 (Reg); 94-94 (1OT); 108-99 (2OT).