SAN Miguel won its retro game against Meralco, 110-98, to cap a huge 50th anniversary celebration for the PBA.
The Beermen, wearing the throwback jersey inspired by their 1982 campaign in the league, drubbed the Bolts, who paraded their 1971 designed uniform from the old MICAA, in their first meeting since SMB lost the Philippine Cup championship in six games during last year’s finals.
With their second straight win, the Beermen took the provisional lead together with the Magnolia Hotshots heading to their showdown before the Holy Week break.
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The Hotshots earlier turned back the Converge FiberXers, 83-71, to set the tone for the golden anniversary presentation played before a sizeable April 9 crowd at the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum.
Meralco suffered its first loss for a 2-1 record, while Converge fell to a 1-2 slate.
Here’s the takeaways in the two-game presentation on the day the PBA became the golden league.
1. ZAVIER LUCERO/IAN SANGALANG HAD THEIR HANDS FULL AGAINST THE TWIN JUSTINS - the Lucero-Sangalang partnership barely won its match-up against Justin Arana and Justin Baltazar of Converge. The Magnolia Hotshots’ bigs combined for 36 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and two block shots as they played cohesively in manning the middle and carrying the cudgels for the team. In contrast, the two Justins didn’t do badly either as they came through for a combined 25 points, 27 rebounds, five assists, and a block shot, but unfortunately, didn’t get the win. Make it 1-0 for Lucero-Sangalang.
2. RETRO JERSEY TO BECOME A NORM IN PBA SEASON 50 – as part of the PBA’s golden anniversary, other teams which have been in the league long enough are also looking to wear retro jerseys in the coming games and conferences. Barangay Ginebra is planning to come out with one, so does the Purefoods franchise. Commissioner Willie Marcial has given the stamp of approval on the idea. A possible set-up is San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra playing in a similar retro game wearing their respective designed jerseys from the past.
3. JUNE MAR FAJARDO ALL BUSINESS IN MERALCO REMATCH – the eight-time MVP made the Bolts pay the price in their rematch, notching 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, while shooting an efficient 12-of-15 from the floor. Fajardo outplayed Meralco big men Raymund Almazan, Cliff Hodge, and Brandon Bates as he picked up from where he left off in the Game 6 loss last season where he had 21 points, 12 rebounds, and almost sent the pressure-packed match into overtime behind his clutch three pointer with three seconds left to play.
4.MERALCO ROOKIE A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH – freshman guard Kurt Reyson is proving to be a steal for the Bolts as the former Letran stalwart is showing he’s not afraid to take the big shots in a big game like in the Bolts’ rematch with the Beermen. Reyson had 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the floor including one from the four-point line – the second in his young PBA career. A three-time NCAA champion with the Knights and MPBL champion with the Pampanga Giant Lanterns, Reyson is a welcome addition to a loaded and talented Meralco backcourt led by Chris Newsome.
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