EASTERN dominated San Miguel from start to finish for a 71-62 win on Wednesday night in the EASL Home-And-Away Season 2 at the Southorn Stadium in Hong Kong.
Guard Kobey Lam rediscovered his shooting touch and led the home team with 19 points in the win that finally halted Leo Austria’s winning streak since taking over as head coach of the Beermen.
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Eastern improved to a 1-2 record, while keeping the Beermen winless in three games to stay at the bottom of Group A in the regional league.
The two will have a rematch on Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup where Eastern currently holds the top spot alongside Northport with identical 5-1 records.
Lam, who has been struggling in Eastern’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign, scored five straight points in a 9-0 Eastern run to hike its lead to 69-58 with 4:10 remaining in the game.
Before that crucial stretch, the Beermen were breathing down the neck of the home team, 60-58, after a hook shot made by June Mar Fajardo.
The towering Chris McLaughlin had 16 points and 17 rebounds as the lone import for the home team as Cameron Clark continues to be sidelined by a hip injury.
Veteran guard Glenn Yang was the other Eastern player to finish in double figures with 11 points.
San Miguel got 19 points each from Fajardo and import Torren Jones, who also grabbed 11 rebounds.
Quincy Miller, the other San Miguel import, went 2-of-9 from the field for five points, and CJ Perez chipped in eight, although Marcio Lassiter went scoreless after going 0-of-6 from the floor.
The scores:
Eastern (71) – Lam 19, McLaughlin 16, Yang 11, Blankley 7, Leung 5, Xu 5, Chan 4, Zhu 4, Cheung 0, Pok 0, Guinchard 0.
San Miguel (62) – Jones 19, Fajardo 19, Perez 8, Miller 5, Tautuaa 3, Cahilig 3, Trollano 3, Rosales 2, Lassiter 0, Ross 0.
Quarterscores: 28-14; 48-34; 60-48; 71-62.
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