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SMB NAILS EQUALIZER
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This time, June Mar Fajardo was fresh as a lily in the fourth quarter – if you could imagine the 6-foot-10 San Miguel Beer center still blooming.
And an 18-point advantage was tucked away neatly where the Alaska Aces couldn’t do much with the little time left.
After wasting a 22-point first quarter margin in Game 1, the Beermen put together another double-digit spread in the closing minutes of Game 2 Friday night to come away with a blood-tainted 100-86 victory that leveled at 1-1 the PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Play was interrupted at least six times as the referees worked feverishly to keep the game under control in the highly physical encounter.
SMB team captain Arwind Santos suffered a deep gash on his scalp after getting hit by an elbow from Alaska’s Calvin Abueva halfway through the third quarter, blood flowing down the face of the 2013 MVP.
Santos returned with the wound taped under his headband, leading the Beermen with 22 points on 9 of 16 shooting. Chris Lutz added 20 with 3 3-pointers as with Santos, while June Mar Fajardo came through with 15 points and 12 rebounds.
Fajardo got all the rest he needed to stay fresh in the fourth quarter, playing just 35 minutes in contrast to 47 minutes he was hanged out to dry in overtime in Game 1 where he missed a potential game-winning free throw with 8 seconds left in regulation.
Fajardo was 6 of 8 from the floor, his touches more frequent although his limited field goal attempts still a testament to the Aces’ defense.
“We set aside our loss in Game 1 and told ourselves this is a start of a new series,” said SMB coach Leo Austria. “I think we got a little more physical this time. Despite the high intensity of their defense, we were able to break it to some extent.”
SMB used a 13-2 run at the start of the fourth quarter to hike a 72-70 edge to 85-72 on a 3-point play by Chris Ross with 8 minutes remaining.
That it was Ross and not ace playmaker Alex Cabagnot inside at that crucial juncture was an adjustment that may have disrupted the Aces somewhat.
Ross had all of his 10 points in the last 12 minutes, keeping the Aces at bay with his clutch shots while making life miserable for Alaska point guard Jvee Casio.
“Ross played well and it is our understanding that whoever is doing a better job will be the one playing,” said Austria. Cabagnot was 3 of 8 from the floor in 17 minutes, a big dip in his numbers that could cost him his spot in the series.
Austria paid tribute to Santos for keeping the Beermen together and to a “simple adjustment” they did to give Fajardo more breathing space inside against the double-team.
“We made sure that once June Mar got the ball, panira na agad,” Austria said.
“We stole Game 1 but that doesn’t change the fact that we’re facing a Goliath,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton, who cited the 52-30 disparity in rebounds and the 32-23 fouls called against them.
SMB hit 20 of 25 free throws while Alaska was just 6 of 8.
The Beermen came out of the rough-and-tumble first half with a 51-48 lead but appeared helpless to disrupt the Aces’ pick ‘n roll plays and transition game which netted Sonny Thoss open perimeter jumpers and Jvee Casio and Cyrus Baguio 3-pointers off the kick-out pass.
Unlike in the first game where they allowed themselves to be pushed around, the Beermen held their ground in the banging department, with rugged Alaska forward Calvin Abueva taking on practically the entire SMB squad, including the team utility personnel.
Abueva first tangled with fellow Pampango Arwind Santos after Abueva drew a technical for crashing a knee on Chris Ross, sending the SMB guard on the floor, clutching his right knee.
Next came skirmishes with rookie David Semerad and shooter Marcio Lassiter before Abueva himself collapsed at the backcourt with 1:26 left in the first quarter courtesy of Ronald Tubid.
There were no 22-point leads for SMB; neither franchise low 5-point quarters for Alaska as both teams battled on even and extremely physical terms. (WJRHT)
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