BEERMEN REMAIN UNSCATHED, GAIN SHARE OF LEAD WITH ALASKA
SAN Miguel Beer may be suffering from key absences but those were still not enough to prevent the team from overcoming a dangerous foe.
With Arwind Santos unveiling a near-perfect shooting and Marcio Lassiter bouncing back big-time from a dismal performance the last time out, the Beermen carved a 103-89 win over gritty Barako Bull Sunday to join idle Alaska at the top of the standings in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Santos went 9-for-10 from the field and also had seven rebounds and three assists while Lassiter added 20 as the two presided over a fiery 14-2 windup that broke SMB away from an 89-87 count and into its third win in as many outings.
Not bad for a Beermen crew that missed the services of main backup center Doug Kramer (ankle sprain) and power forward Rico Maierhofer (knee) and also had Sol Mercado missing two days of practices due to a commercial shoot.
“Nag-suffer ang rotation ko,” admitted SMB head coach Leo Austria, whose team was dragged through eight deadlocks and 11 lead changes. “Usually our second group sustains the output of our first group, but not tonight.”
The loss was the third in as many games for Barako, notwithstanding Denok Miranda’s 17 points and at least 10 points each by Carlo Lastimosa, JC Intal, Jeric Fortuna and Chico Lanete.
The Energy engaged the Beermen in a nip-and-tuck battle for majority of the second half and were still within two before going 1-for-4 from the field and committing two turnovers inside the last 1:40 of the game.
Still, Barako Bull’s gallant effort was not lost on Austria.
“I have to give credit to (Energy) coach Koy (Banal,” said Austria. “Iyung mga pag-scout namin sa kanila na-bale wala dahil totally different outlook ang ginawa nila.”
Austria’s main concern now is how to deal with Alaska in their collision Wednesday in case either or both Kramer and Maierhofer are not completely fit.
“We can beat any team kung masusunod ang gameplan,” said Austria. “But we may not have enough time for Alaska. Extended minutes sina Arwind and June Mar (Fajardo) ngayon. Kung nandu’n sina Rico and Doug we have a good chance.”
Against Barako Bull, Austria’s deeper arsenal still delivered in the end with Fajardo winding up with 18 points and 11 rebounds despite being ganged up on every time he gets the ball down low.
A surprise package was also let loose in Nelbert Omolon, who came in late in the third period and wound up with eight points–his highest output since the 2012-13 season–to go with two rebounds and a steal.
Lassiter, who scored only two points in an 87-80 win over Purefoods Star last Sunday, scored 10 of his points in the final quarter. He also went 7-for-7 from the stripe and his two charities surreptitiously sparked what would prove to be the game’s decisive breakaway.
Santos capped a 5-for-6 three-point shooting with a straightaway triple and, after Miranda scored on a short jumper, Fajardo scored four points, Lassiter two and Mercado completed a three-point play that pegged the game’s biggest difference.
Barako Bull also had its own runs after SMB threatened to pull away with a 68-56 spread as Miranda and Fortuna combined to make it just a 68-70 deficit after three periods.
After Santos’ freebie, Lastimosa scored eight of his 12 points during a 10-5 exchange that gave the Energy a 78-76 edge, still a good 8:14 to go. (NC)
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL BEER 103 – Santos 27, Lassiter 20, Fajardo 18, Mercado 12, Lutz 8, Omolon 8, Tubid 3, Semerad 2, Ross 2, Hubalde 2, Chua 1, Pascual 0.
BARAKO BULL 89 – Miranda 17, Lastimosa 12, Intal 12, Fortuna 11, Lanete 10, Garcia 8, Pennisi 6, Paredes 4, Wilson 4, Salvador 2, Marcelo 2, Pascual 1, Salva 0.
Quarterscores: 26-24, 43-45, 70-68, 103-89
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