SMB SCRAPES PAST BARAKO BULL IN OT
Live and die by the three — that seemed to be the credo San Miguel Beer and Barako Bull lived by when the two teams faced each other Wednesday at the Alonte Sports Arena in Binan, Laguna.
But at the end of the day, it was the Beermen who were victorious as they hacked out a 115-112 OT win for their third straight victory in the 2014 PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup.
San Miguel Beer claimed solo second-spot as a result with its 3-1 slate, and sent Barako Bull in danger of missing the playoffs as it dropped to its third straight defeat and fell to a 1-3 card.
Reggie Williams scored 13 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth and overtime periods to go with his 13 rebounds to pace San Miguel Beer in the victory.
June Mar Fajardo added 26 markers even as Chris Ross and Arwind Santos both ended up with 10.
“I am very happy to get the win,” said San Miguel Beer active consultant Todd Purves. “Every game in the PBA is tough, and I’m proud of the guys tonight for getting in there and hanging in tough. It feels good to get a couple of wins. Barako (Bull) is well-coached and they also grind it out tonight.”
With the Beermen leading 100-94 in the last 2:41 of regulation, the Energy went on a 9-3 tear behind a Leo Najorda four-point play, a Ronjay Buenafe three, and an Eric Wise undergoal stab to tie the game at 103.
In the final 10 seconds of regulation, Dave Marcelo tipped the ball out of Fajardo’s hands from an Arwind Santos pass, with Willy Wilson securing the ball for the Energy. But Jeric Fortuna’s potential game-winning jumper for Barako Bull missed, thus sending the game into overtime.
It was a dogfight in the extra period as Williams and Sol Mercado nailed threes to put the Beermen up, 112-105, but Mick Pennisi and Buenafe were quick to answer with threes of their own to close the deficit to just one, 112-111, with 1:11 remaining.
Fajardo then muscled his way in the paint in the ensuing possession for an and-one play, fouling Pennisi out in the process with 55.7 seconds left, and putting San Miguel up, 115-111.
Former Beermen Jason Deutchman got fouled with 42.1 ticks to play but split his freebies to trim the lead to three, 115-112.
Sol Mercado had a chance to ice the game at the free throw line with nine seconds remaining, but he muffed both of his charities, giving Barako Bull one last chance to force another overtime. But Fortuna’s shot once again missed its mark to give the Beermen the W.
The Beermen missed the services of Marcio Lassiter for the game, as the sharpshooter suffered a deep cut in the Beermen’s last game against San Mig Coffee.
“We just want to wish Marcio to get well soon. We can’t wait to have him back,” Purves said.
Eric Wise tied his conference-high with 33 points in the loss even as Mick Pennisi registered 20 markers built around six three-pointers.
Najorda (12), Buenafe (10), and Fortuna (10) all finished in double-digits for head coach Siot Tanquingcen, who lost against his former team (RL)
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL BEER 115 – Williams 33, Fajardo 26, Ross 10, Santos 10, Mercado 9, Lutz 8, Tubid 7, Maierhofer 4, Chua 4, Kramer 2, Lanete 2.
BARAKO BULL 112 – Wise 33, Pennisi 20, Najorda 12, Buenafe 10, Fortuna 10, Jensen 8, Marcelo 6, Lastimosa 4, Wilson 2, Isip 2, Miller 2, Intal 2.
Quarterscores: 32-26, 58-54, 80-78, 103-103, 115-112.
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