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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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16
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
16
2024
San Miguel Beer continued to be Alaska Milk’s spoiler, with the Beermen foiling another bid by the Aces not too long after stealing the Philippine Cup crown on a record comeback feat.
The Beermen thwarted the Aces in their first crack at an outright playoff entry in fashioning out a – rout in their grudge match in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
Even with June Mar Fajardo confined on the bench, the Beermen asserted their supremacy on the Aces and crowded Alaska and Meralco in the fight for the Top Two.
The Beermen improved to 4-2, now just half game behind the Aces and the Bolts who are tied at 5-2. Another half game adrift are Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine at 4-3.
Tyler Wilkerson, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Chris Ross and Gabby Espinas took turns to lead SMB’s juggernaught against the Aces.
Wilkerson, Santos, Cabagnot and Lassiter highlighted their explosive games with a remarkable 17-of-37 three-point shooting.
The SMB import led all scorers with 32 points including four treys. Cabagnot and Santos both went 5-of-8 from beyond the arc and finished with 40 points together. Lassiter added three triples and a total of 14 markers.
“Umulan ng three-pointers. Pag ganoon, mahirap talagang i-stop ang isang team,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.
As Wilkerson made his third triple in the night, the Beermen enjoyed a 21-point bulge at 75-54 with 3:33 left in the third.
The Aces, however, refused to just roll over and die, getting to within manageable deficit at 72-84 at the start of the final period.
Calvin Abueva, who had a big fat egg in the first half, sparked their rally as he broke his silence and scored seven points late in the third quarter.
Wilkerson played aggressively from the get-go, collecting near double-double numbers right in the first half with 17 points and nine rebounds.
Marcio Lassiter, Gabby Espinas and Chris Ross contributed 25 points together as the Beermen set the pace and took the half at 55-52.
The Beermen won the rebounding battle, 30-19, and got 17 free throws as against the Aces’ seven as SMB led by as many as 14, 50-36, before settling for the 13-point margin at the turn.
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