SAN Miguel simply has too much pride to allow a Bay Area sweep.
Simon Enciso drained a clutch three before the Beermen tightened up on defense in the final 10 seconds to preserve a thrilling 98-96 win over the Dragons and stay alive in the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals on Sunday.
With a tough stand in the endgame, the defending champions avoided getting eliminated and extended the best-of-five semifinal series against the Hong Kong-based guest team to a Game 4 set on Wednesday.
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"This is an indication [that] Bay Area is beatable," said San Miguel coach Leo Austria after the Beermen finally defeated the Dragons for the first time in four games dating back in the eliminations.
Six-time MVP June Mar Fajardo held his ground against import Andrew Nicholson and 7-foot-5 Chuanxing Lui as he finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds.
He had 12 in the third period when he and import Devon Scott carried the Beermen on their shoulders to turn a four-point deficit at the half into a 75-70 lead heading to the fourth.
But the Dragons fought their way back behind Nicholson, Songwei Zhu before he got injured, and Kobey Lam, whose corner 3 gave the team its last taste of the lead, 96-93, less than a minute left.
The Beermen then made their move, Scott his two free throws, before an open Enciso hit the dagger from beyond the arc as the reigning champs regained the upperhand.
Bay Area wouldn't score again as Scott had a big-time block on a driving Lam, while Jericho Cruz also did the same on Hayden Blankley in the Dragons' last two plays that could send the game into overtime.
"Devin was really all focused. That was the game-winning block," said Austria of Scott's huge defensive play.
"The last time, Kobey Lam beat us by a layup," Austria added, obviously referring to game winning basket by Lam in the series opener, 103-102. "This time, he (Scott) didn't allow it."
Nicholson led the Dragons with 34 points and 14 rebounds, Zhu with 17 and seven rebounds, but went out with 10 seconds left after hurting his ankle.
The scores:
San Miguel (98) -- Scott 25, Fajardo 21, Perez 17, Enciso 16, Romeo 13, Lassiter 6, Ross 0, Cruz 0, Manuel 0, Brondial 0.
Bay Area (96) -- Nicholson 34, Zhu 17, Liu 12, Lam 12, Blankley 10, Ju 6, Yang 5, Ewing 0.
Quarterscores: 17-24; 43-47; 75-70; 98-96.
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