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    SMB dominates Meralco in Game 7, sets up finals face-off vs TNT

    SMB bounces back from Game 6 collapse to book return to all-Filipino finals
    Aug 17, 2022
    June Mar Fajardo SMB vs Meralco
    PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

    SAN Miguel is just too good to miss out on the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

    The Beermen flaunted their might in the most important game of the conference, never giving the Bolts a chance in a dominant 100-89 win to arrange a highly-awaited title showdown against reigning champion TNT.

    Game One of the best-of-seven series will be played on Sunday.

    June Mar Fajardo was again a forced to reckon with in the middle, while CJ Perez sparked the team's offense in transition to score the lopsided win in their do-or-die encounter at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

    CJ Perez SMB vs Meralco

    Not even a belated charge by Meralco in the final quarter could deny San Miguel its first trip in the all-Filipino finals since 2019.

    Fajardo torched the Bolts inside for 29 points on 12-of-18 shooting from the floor to go with 14 rebounds while Perez added 18 points on 50 percent shooting (6-of-12) and had nine assists in the series clincher.

    [See Finals-bound Fajardo donates P100K to charity]

    "It's a gruelling series from the start and ini-expect ko naman ito," admitted coach Leo Austria about the Beermen being dragged to a deciding Game 7 by the Bolts. "Credit sa kanila (Bolts) dahil pinahirapan talaga nila kami."

    The Beermen held the Bolts to 26 percent shooting in the first half to pull away early, 34-14 behind Fajardo, Perez, and old hand Marcio Lassiter as the team went 48 percent from the floor in the first two quarters.

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      They had their biggest lead in the third quarter at 70-47.

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      The Bolts were led by the 23 points and eight rebounds of Cliff Hodge, who tried to rally the team back in the fourth together with Aaron Black, Raymond Almazan, and Chris Newsome.

      Meralco went on an 11-0 blast to threaten at 70-81 with 7:17 to play, but San Miguel had a ready answer as Simon Enciso and Vic Manuel starred in a 12-7 run that stretched the lead back to 93-77 with four minutes to go.

      Marcio Lassiter SMB vs Meralco

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      Newsome had 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists for the Bolts, who also got 13 and 12 respectively from Black and Almazan.

      The scores:

      San Miguel (100) - Fajardo 29, Perez 18, Lassiter 16, Manuel 13, Cruz 12, Tautuaa 7, Enciso 5, Brondial 0.

      Meralco (89) - Hodge 23, Newsome 14, Black 13, Almazan 12, Banchero 8, Hugnatan 8, Quinto 7, Maliksi 4, Pasaol 0, Jose 0, Pascual 0.

      Quarterscores: 26-12; 45-31; 73-54; 100-89.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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      PHOTO: Jerome Ascano
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