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    San Miguel holds off NorthPort comeback, ends winless spell

    SMB escapes as Bolick, Malonzo miss late treys
    Dec 12, 2021
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    SMB forward Vic Manuel wins the rebound against Troy Rike of NorthPort.
    PHOTO: SMB forward Vic Manuel wins the rebound against Troy Rike of NorthPort. ILLUSTRATION: PBA Images

    SAN Miguel finally claimed a victory in the 2021 PBA Governors’ Cup at the expense of former player Arwind Santos and NorthPort, 91-88, on Sunday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

    Brandon Brown finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists as the Beermen went to him early with NorthPort import Cameron Forte out due to an injury.

    CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo also delivered as San Miguel, which led by as many as 27 points, also found its touch from three-point distance, thanks to Marcio Lassiter and Von Pessumal.

    First SMB win since trade

    The Beermen got to the win column at last after three games - their first victory since shipping Santos in a major trade to the Batang Pier during the offseason.

    Santos had a double-double in his first outing against his former team, finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds. But the effort was in vain as the Batang Pier once again played catch up after the Beermen mounted a big lead.

    NorthPort had a chance to tie the game and send it to overtime, but Robert Bolick and rookie Jamie Malonso missed attempts at a game-tying three-pointer in the team’s final possession.

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      “After two losses, this is a wake-up call for us. I’m so lucky with the players. They responded, especially in the first three quarters,” said SMB coach Leo Austria.
      “Pero nandoon pa rin ‘yung nagre-relax sa dulo. That’s the reason why we lost in the two games. We had a good start in the first two quarters and all of a sudden, nawala na kami maybe because we are not that prepared physically,” he said.

      Brown already had 12 points in the first period, as Pessumal hit back-to-back threes to give San Miguel a 26-9 lead that it never relinquished.

      The Beermen went on to separate themselves from the Batang Pier at 62-35 - the biggest lead in the contest.

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      Perez and Fajardo had similar 15-point, seven-rebound statline for the Beermen, while Lassiter had 12 points and Pessumal had nine - all from three-point range.

      Bolick scored 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter, including two free throws that cut the deficit to three points, 91-88.

      The scores:

      San Miguel 91 – Brown 24, Fajardo 15, Perez 15, Lassiter 12, Manuel 10, Pessumal 9, Romeo 6, Enciso 0, Tautuaa 0.

      NorthPort 88 – Bolick 24, Santos 23, Malonzo 22, Slaughter 10, Taha 4, Grey 2, Ferrer 2, Balanza 1, Elorde 0, Doliguez 0, Rike 0.

      Quarters: 26-9; 49-31; 72-58; 91-88.

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      SMB forward Vic Manuel wins the rebound against Troy Rike of NorthPort.
      PHOTO: SMB forward Vic Manuel wins the rebound against Troy Rike of NorthPort. ILLUSTRATION: PBA Images
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