SAN Miguel’s bench mob proved enough to dispatch Phoenix, 94-89, in the PBA On Tour Saturday night in Ilagan City, Isabela.
Marcio Lassiter exploded for a game-high 30 points, while Moala Tautuaa buried a clutch three in the final minute to secure the win for a Beermen side that played minus four key stalwarts.
June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Don Trollano, Jerrick Ahanmisi, Jericho Cruz, and import George King were not around, but Lassiter and Co. came through when the game was on the line to secure the win for San Miguel.
Tautuaa nailed a three-point shot that turned a slim 90-89 lead to a 93-89 cushion.
Phoenix was just within 90-89 on a Ricci Rivero trey just inside the final two minutes when Tautuaa hit the dagger basket.
The veteran Fil-Tongan finished with 13 points behind the big game of Rodney Brondial, who had 17, and Jeron Teng with 14.
Aside from Fajardo, Perez, Trollano, Cruz, and King, San Miguel was also without playing deputy coach Chris Ross and JM Calma.
Without the Beermen's top guns, extended minutes were earned by the likes of Chris Rosales, Royce Mantua, Paolo Hernandez, Andreas Cahilig, and former San Miguel draftee Justin Guevarra.
Rivero led the Fuel Masters with 17 points, while veteran center Justin Chua came off the bench and finished with 12 - eight of them coming in the final quarter.
Phoenix also played without import BJ Johnson and the injured Jason Perkins, who was wearing an immobilizer on his right foot and was in street clothes.
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