UMISKOR si CJ Perez ng San Miguel laban kay Jonathan Williams ng Phoenix sa aksiyon sa PBA Commissioner’s Cup kahapon sa Araneta Coliseum. Kuha ni RUDY ESPERAS
Mga laro sa Enero 5
(Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. – Blackwater vs NorthPort
8 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs TNT
SUMANDAL ang San Miguel kay Terrence Romeo upang maitakas ang 117-96 panalo laban sa Phoenix sa Christmas treat ng PBA Commissioner’s Cup kahapon sa Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ang 15-point sizzler ni Romeo ang nagbigay ng lakas sa 38-16 closing barrage ng Beermen tungo sa panalo.
Ang panalo ay nagpormalisa sa pagpasok ng Beermen sa quarterfinal round sa 6-3 at nagpatatag sa kanilang standing sa karera para sa Top 4 at twice-to-beat advantage.
Hanggang posting time, ang SMB ay nasa No. 4 sa likod ng Magnolia (9-1), Phoenix (7-2) at ng walang larong Meralco (6-2).
Nahila ng tropa ni Jorge Gallent ang streak ng koponan sa tatlong laro at pinutol ang six-game run ng Fuel Masters.
Sa kanyang ikatlong appearance matapos ang four-match sidelining dahil sa bruised knee, naipasok ni Romeo ang mga jumper mula sa lahat ng anggulo, nakakita ng open teammates at inalisan ang Phoenix ng possession sa key barrage sa final canto.
“Terrence displayed how he really plays today. He’s back. When he was doubled, he passed the ball, when he’s free, he took the shots,” wika ni Gallent patungkol sa fourth-quarter hero ng SMB.
Tumapos si Romeo na may 22 points, 8 assists at 2’steals upang suportahan si debuting import Bennie Boatwright, na nagposte ng 26 points at 16 rebounds.
Kuminang din sina gunners CJ Perez (20) at Jericho Cruz (15) at hustle-provider Rodney Brondial (eight points, 10 board) para sa SMB na kinailangang malusutan ang nine-point deficit sa first half.
“At halftime, we just reminded the guys how crucial this game was to us on how it would help us to the Top 4 and all of them stepped us,” ani Gallent.
Napangalagaan ng Beermen ang solid debut ni Boatwright, ang 6-foot-8 sweet-shooting frontliner na pumalit kay Ivan Aska.
“The difference between Ivan and Bennie is Bennie has three-point shooting which makes the floor bigger for everybody. It’s going to be hard for opponents to guard Bennie and challenge his shots. Bennie read the situation well today.”
CLYDE MARIANO
Iskor:
San Miguel (117) – Boatwright 26, Romeo 22, Perez 20, Cruz 15, Trollano 12, Brondial 8, Lassiter 6, Tautuaa 4, Ross 2, Mallilin 2.
Phoenix (96) – Williams 37, Jazul 14, Manganti 11, Mocon 10, Tio 6, Rivero 5, Garcia 4, Alejandro 4, Muyang 3, Tuffin 2, Verano 0, Camacho 0, Lalata 0, Daves 0.
QS: 30-34, 54-58, 79-80, 117-96.
