Change definitely worked in favor of San Miguel Beer on Saturday, as their out-of-town game with a new import did the Beermen wonders, leading to their first win in the conference.
In the process, San Miguel Beer also dealt conference leader Meralco its first loss of the tourney with a 102-86 beatdown in the Petron Saturday Special of the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan Gym in Cagayan de Oro.
The breakthrough victory for the Philippine Cup champs averted the Beermen from falling further down the standings and placed them at 1-4 together with NLEX and Blackwater, still at the cellar but no longer the only team yet to win a game this second conference.
It also ended the Bolts’ five game winning streak, their best start in franchise history.
Without Bolts import Davis for majority of the second half, new SMB reinforcement Arizona Reid and June Mar Fajardo abused the depleted Meralco frontline as they flexed their muscle to a dominating victory down South, outrebounding the Bolts, 66-42.
Reid finished the game with a huge double-double of 29 points and 12 rebounds alongside three assists for his new team in the ex-Governors Cup Best Import’s fourth tour of duty in the PBA after three previous stints with Rain or Shine.
Fajardo, meanwhile, finally got his groove back as he had 21 markers and 22 boards for the Beermen’s first victory.
Chris Ross added 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Arwind Santos chimed in 14.
Davis left the game at the 7:16 mark of the second quarter after falling down hard off of a fake from Fajardo, where he was stretchered out of the court and was taken back to the dugout. Though he was able to return to the bench early in the fourth, Davis no longer checked back in the game.
He finished with four points and five rebounds in just 13 minutes of action.
That was when San Miguel Beer slowly pulled away from Meralco, with its lead reaching its peak at 21 courtesy of a Santos jumper with 1:33 remaining in the game for a 100-79 bulge and the outcome already decided.
Gary David was the only bright spot for Meralco (5-1) as he came off the bench with 23 points on a 3-of-4 shooting from threes. (RL)
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