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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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23
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
23
2024
AZ Reid and the other core San Miguel Beer players all came out and played a heads-up game, spoiling the return of the vaunted Barangay Ginebra Twin Tower in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
All SMB starters delivered huge numbers as the Beermen beat down Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and the rest of the Gin Kings, 100-85, much to the disappointment of the cheering Ginebra fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Reid, June Mar Fajardo, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and Arwind Santos outgunned their Ginebra counterparts Slaughter, Aguilar, Orlando Johnson, LA Tenorio and Mark Caguioa, 80-52, as the Beermen stayed on a roll and remained right behind frontrunner Barako Bull (5-1) in the team standings with a 5-2 win-loss card.
Meanwhile, the Kings still lacked the push even on the return of Slaughter and slid further down the leaderboard at 2-4.
“We didn’t want our streak stopped at four games. We’re targeting the playoffs. I think we’ve made the quarters with this win, but that’s not what we want. We want the Top Four for a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.
“The guys were so eager in the first half kaya medyo nagmamadali pero hindi nagma-materialize. We talked things out at the half and I told the guys ‘control your emotion.’ We have a process to do for us to win. I’m glad the guys responded,” Austria also said.
The SMB starting unit responded big time, anchoring the team’s third-quarter breakaway en route to their fifth win in a row following a 0-2 start in the season-ending tourney.
Reid piled up 27 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, Fajardo collected 20 boards and 10 markers while Ross had a near triple-double job with 19 points, nine rebounds and the same number of assists.
Lassiter and Santos chipped in a combined 24 points and eight rebounds, adding to the woes of the Kings who are now two games off the Top Four.
Playing his first game in the tourney, Slaughter struggled for just six points, six rebounds and three assists.
And except for Josh Urbiztondo, the rest of the Ginebra guys were handed well by the Beermen.
The Kings actually got back in the thick of things, 71-73, early in the fourth but Alex Cabagnot, Ross, Reid and Santos rifled in a triple each to help fuel a key 18-7 attack that reestablished command for SMB at 91-78.
Orlando Johnson sizzled with 17 early on as Ginebra trailed by just one, 40-41, at the half.
But Reid seized the moment in the third period, pouring in 12 as the Beermen pulled away at 63-47. (SB)
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