THE old Terrence Romeo showed up for San Miguel and delivered big time in a 131-125 overtime win over Barangay Ginebra that levelled their PBA Governors Cup semifinals series at one-game apiece.
The 32-year old the three-time scoring champion racked up seven straight points, highlighted by a booming four-point shot to give the Beermen the lead for good, 121-117, entering the final two minutes of a thrilling Game 2 played before a huge weekend crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ When SMB needed answers, vintage Terrence Romeo comes up clutch
The shooting guard out of Far Eastern University played his best game in a long while with 26 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting from long distance to lead San Miguel to the win that knotted the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Game Three is set on Sunday in Dasmarinas, Cavite.
Romeo had nine in the extra period and 13 in the fourth quarter as he held the fort for the embattled Beermen in the face of a wild comeback by the Kings from 13 points down behind the sizzling outside shooting of Justine Brownlee.
However, the San Miguel gunner also committed the crucial foul against Maverick Ahanmisi with 1.3 seconds left in regulation and San Miguel leading by two and in penalty situation. Ahanmisi sank both pressure-packed free throws to send the game into overtime, 110-all.
“He’s always ready for the competition. He showed you guys now that if his name is called, he will deliver. And that’s what he did,” said San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent of Romeo, whose last Player of the Game honor came during Christmas Day game last year in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Import EJ Anosike topscored with 35 points and nine rebounds, and CJ Perez with 25, including San Miguel’s last six points in regulation capped by a clutch four-pointer that put San Miguel back in the saddle at 110-108.
Eighth-time MVP June Mar Fajardo was again a dominant force in the middle for San Miguel with 23 points, 21 rebounds, and six assists, while three-point king Marcio Lassiter was the other player in double figures for the Beermen with 12.
Brownlee still came through with a game-high 39 points, 5 rebounds, and seven assists.
The Gilas Pilipinas naturalized player had the Kings in fine form going to the homestretch, scoring eight of Ginebra’s 10 points in a four-minute stretch as the Kings held the lead 108-106 with 18 seconds to play in the fourth.
Big man Japeth Aguilar also came big for the Kings with 29 points and eight rebounds, and the ever reliable Scottie Thompson delivered a near triple-double of 16 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists.
The scores:
San Miguel (131) - Anosike 35, Perez 28, Romeo 26, Fajardo 23, Lassiter 12, Cruz 5, Tautuaa 2, Ross 0, Rosales 0, Trollano 0, Enciso 0, Manuel 0.
Ginebra (125) - Brownlee 39, J.Aguilar 29, Thompson 16, Ahanmisi 15, Holt 14, Abarrientos 4, Tenorio 3, Cu 2, Devance 2, Pinto 1, Pessumal 0, Adamos 0.
Quarterscores: 22-24; 51-47; 85-76; 110-110; 131-125.
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.
