ANTIPOLO - San Miguel evened the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup finals series in Game 2, beating TNT, 111-92, on Friday at the Ynares Center.
Don Trollano atoned for his shooting woes in the series opener with a blazing start in Game 2 to tie the series at 1-1 with SMB surviving a second-half comeback bid by TNT and the foul troubles of Cjay Perez and June Mar Fajardo.
Perez eventually helped the Beermen in the fourth quarter with a couple of baskets to weather the storm and bring the series into a deadlock.
READ: Jericho Cruz to be fined for flashing dirty finger in PBA Finals Game One
The Beermen also flaunted their defense, giving up just 33 points at the half to lead by as many as 24 points at the break, the largest gap of the match.
Game 3 is slated on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
“The biggest impact tonight was on our defense,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “We had a lot of energy and focus sa game because in our last game, we didn’t have that. Makikita mo ‘yung intensity ng mga players.”
After going just 1-of-7 last Wednesday, Trollano opened the game with eight points in the first quarter, and eventually finished with 22 points on 6-of-8 from the field.
Trollano also had seven in the third quarter including a couple during a 9-2 response after TNT was able to trim the gap to 64-54.
Fajardo had 17 points and 16 rebounds despite nursing four fouls, while Mo Tautuaa continued his splendid play from Game 1 with 14 points.
Perez had 10 of his 12 points in the fourth quarter to pull away again before fouling out.
Rey Nambatac had 17 points, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser had 15 points for TNT, which was badly outrebounded in Game 2, 50-35.
The scores:
San Miguel 111 – Trollano 22, Fajardo 17, Tautuaa 14, Perez 13, Lassiter 12, Cruz 12, Tiongson 9, Brondial 6, Ross 3, Miller 3, Mantua 0, Calma 0, Rosales 0, Cahilig 0.
TNT 92 – Nambatac 17, Ganuelas-Rosser 15, Heading 14, Ferrer 11, Oftana 11, Williams 8, Jalalon 7, Galinato 5, Khobuntin 2, Hill 2, Enciso 0, Aurin 0, Erram 0.
Quarters: 30-18; 57-33; 75-61; 111-92.
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