After being down 0-3, San Miguel forces Game 7 vs Alaska
And the saga in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup finals lives on.
San Miguel Beer went through a tough grind in the first three quarters then came through with one big, lethal run at the start of the final quarter en route to a 100-89 victory over a badly stunned Alaska Milk side that forced a winner-take-all match in their best-of-seven title playoff.
Jue nmar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter teamed up in a vicious 16-2 roll in the first four minutes of the payoff period and the Beermen went on to make history as the first team in PBA history to come back from 0-3 down and forge a deciding Game Seven.
The Beermen and the Aces fight for all the marbles at 7 p.m. Wednesday at MOA Arena in Pasay City.
Either team will be making history.
San Miguel and Alaska engaged in a fierce see-sawing battle before the Beermen broke loose on the key run by Fajardo and Lassiter to the delight of the crowd of over 12,000 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Fajardo scored on a post play off Noy Baclao then Lassiter fired a trey to spark their bristling attack that opened an 83-68 lead for the Beermen with 7:46 left to play.
The Cebuano behemoth beat the buzzer with a putback as San Miguel took the half at 51-49.
The two teams then sustained a tough battle through the next quarter with the Beermen barely staying on top at 67-66.
Earlier, Alex Cabagnot converted a tough reverse shot to cap a run pushing San Miguel up at 38-37 from 13-point down at 22-35.
The Aces took the early initiative behind a relentless pressing defense forcing the San Miguel guards to numerous turnovers. Alaska enjoyed a 14-6 lead on points off turnovers in the first half.
Fajardo played 8:39 minutes in the opening half, coming through with six points, two rebounds, one steal and one block. Yancy de Ocampo held the fort while on the floor, putting in 12 markers, five boards and three assists.
Noy Baclao had his own buzzer-beater with a baseline jumper off Fajardo as the Aces sat on a 29-22 lead in the opening frame.
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