JUNE Mar Fajardo had 37 points and 24 rebounds in his first game since winning his eighth MVP to carry San Miguel to a 111-107 win over Phoenix on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The 6-foot-10 Cebuano big man started the season with the same dominance he showed in the last one, helping the Beermen keep the Fuelmasters from essaying an upset in a Group B game that became interesting near the end.
Ricci Rivero went for the win by taking a four-point shot with Phoenix down, 110-107, which he missed, before Fajardo extended the lead to four on a split from the free-throw line on the next possession.
Tyler Tio missed a desperation four-point shot to end the game.
READ Mark Nonoy 53-inch vertical leap reduced by 10 after 'typo error' spotted
Jordan Adams tallied 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four steals, while CJ Perez had 21 points including a dagger four-point shot with 56.6 seconds remaining to hike SMB's lead to 110-105.
“We were kinda rusty but in the end, the guys just wanted to win and placed extra effort especially in the last five minutes when Phoenix was trying to catch up,” said San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent.
“They just played really hard going to the last five minutes of the ballgame that gave us the victory,” Gallent added.
Phoenix put up a gallant fight, tying the game at 99 on a three-pointer by RJ Jazul with 3:47 left in the game.
Fajardo made a pivotal play in the next possession, grabbing three offensive rebounds against three Phoenix defenders before finally scoring on a follow-up to start a five-point swing.
Jason Perkins had 18 points including three free throws to cut the San Miguel lead to one, 106-105, before Perez nailed the four-pointer.
Rivero had 15 points including 11 in the fourth, while Jayveous McKinnis added 13 points and 15 rebounds while battling foul trouble for much of the game.
The scores:
San Miguel 111 – Fajardo 37, Adams 24, Perez 21, Romeo 7, Teng 6, Trollano 4, Ross 3, Manuel 3, Brondial 2, Tautuaa 2, Rosales 2, Nava 0, Cruz 0, Enciso 0, Lassiter 0, Jimenez 0.
Phoenix 107 – Perkins 18, Rivero 15, McKinnis 13, Alejandro 10, Salado 9, Tio 9, Jazul 6, Ballungay 5, Verano 4, Soyud 4, Garcia 4, Mocon 4, Tuffin 4, Daves 2, Muyang 0, Manganti 0, Camacho 0.
Quarters: 27-17; 56-52; 86-77; 111-107.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
