BOSSING AMBUSH BEERMEN
Games tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. – Terrafirma vs Meralco 5:45 p.m. – Bay Area vs Converge
It was like the roles were reversed: Blackwater, a team that struggles to be playoff contender, delivered in crunchtime whereas San Miguel Beer, fresh from its Philippine Cup conquest, faded in the finish.
Powered by a 32-17 closing bar
rage, the gritty
Bossing handed
the debuting Beer
men a numbing 109-106 setback in
a shocking result
that made the defending PBA Com
missioner’s Cup titlists red-faced yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Cameron Krutwig, Blackwater’s non-flashy but effective workhorse of an import, scattered 20 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Bossing to the successful ambush.
Locals also delivered big time, led by Baser Amer, whose booming triple gave Blackwater the go-ahead, 107-106, and Myke Ayonayon, whose transition basket off a steal extended their cushion to three with 20.5 seconds left.
The Beermen, for a change, failed to knock down two tying attempts by Marcio Lassiter and Diamond Stone in their final offensive.
The massive reversal put the Bossing back on track after their 105-102 meltdown of a loss to NLEX last time.
Ariel Vanguardia’s spirited troops wiped out SMB’s 15-point margin on their way to 2-2.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, this is the best time to beat San Miguel kasi they’re still struggling and bago pa yung import,” said Vanguardia, referring to Stone, who just arrived two days ago to take the place of the injured Thomas Robinson, SMB’s original import choice.
Later, Magnolia, bucking the absence of injured import Nick Rakocevic in the stretch, rallied past shorthanded TNT, 94-92, to grab a share of the lead with Bay Area at 3-0.
Calvin Abueva dropped 15 of his 25 in the final canto to help the Hotshots pull through after trailing by 13 and despite playing all-Filipino in the final 6:40 with Rakocevic (2215) sidelined by knee injury.
Paul Lee chipped in 16, including the dagger freebies with 4.3 seconds left, as Magnolia stayed spotless and spoiled the 43-point, 17-rebound debut of TNT’s Cameron Oliver.
The Tropang Giga missed Jayson Castro, Mikey Williams, Glenn Khobuntin, Brian Heruela and Raul Soyud due to injuries and Poy Erram due to suspension. Notes: Phoenix Super LPG is staying focused on its campaign in the PBA amid the legal problems faced by team owner Dennis Uy. Yesterday, the Fuel Masters went about their regular preparations for Saturday’s showdown with Converge just as a Batangas Regional Trial Court issued a notice of garnishment to the PBA and other banks of Uy on the complaint of unpaid debts. PBA commissioner Willie Marcial admitted receipt of such notice but declined to speak further. The scores First Game Blackwater 109 – Krutwig 20, Amer 16, Rosario 13, Taha 11, Ayonayon 10, Banal 10, Suerte 7, MacCarthy 7, Jackson 7, Ular 4, Ebona 4, Sena 0, Go 0.
San Miguel 106 – Fajardo 23, Stone 20, Lassiter 18, Perez 16, Tautuaa 11, Cruz 8, Enciso 6, Manuel 4, Herndon 0, Ross 0. Quarterscores: 29-33, 61-64, 77-89, 109-106 Second Game Magnolia 94 – Abueva 25, Rakocevic 22, Lee 16, Barroca 13, Dionisio 9, Corpuz 5, Mendoza 3, Wong 1, Zaldivar 0, Reavis 0, Jalalon 0
TNT 92 – Oliver 43, Pogoy 23, Oftana 12, Montalbo 4, Ganuelas-Rosser 4, Marcelo 3, Alejandro 3, Cruz 0, Tungcab 0, K.Williams 0
Quarterscores: 26-29, 42-54, 62-73, 94-92