DON Trollano knocked down a clutch three with 8.3 seconds left to carry San Miguel to an 85-82 come-from-behind win over Barangay Ginebra on Sunday in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Cjay Perez scored 20 points after being held scoreless in the first half due to foul trouble to help the Beermen mount a comeback from a 15-point deficit before Trollano delivered the basket that clinched SMB's third win in five games.
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In the next play, Justin Brownlee missed a three-point shot and Scottie Thompson's desperate heave from the right corner also missed at the final buzzer as Ginebra lost grip of a game it looked ready to win.
Before that, Brownlee uncharacteristically split his free throws in two trips to the line, the last with 37.3 seconds left prior to the Trollano go-ahead three.
Ginebra led by 15 points early, 23-8, and was still ahead, 68-58, in the fourth quarter when San Miguel mounted a comeback with Perez scoring 15 in the final canto alone.
Justin Patton added 19 points and 17 rebounds for the Beermen, and Trollano had 12 points including two threes, none bigger than that shot in the final moments.
“They had a good start and I thought that it will go all the way, but because of the experience of the players against Ginebra, they fought back,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.
Brownlee had 31 points, but missed three of his five free throws, including a few during the crucial stretch as Ginebra fell to an even 2-2 win-loss record.
Ginebra was without Japeth Aguilar for the second straight time due to an injury, and his absence also led to a 63-44 San Miguel dominance off the boards.
The scores:
San Miguel 85 – Perez 20, Patton 19, Trollano 12, Tautuaa 8, Fajardo 6, Cahilig 6, Cruz 4, Lassiter 4, Tiongson 0.
Barangay Ginebra 82 – Brownlee 31, Abarrientos 16, Holt 11, Rosario 7, Go 6, Torres 5, Thompson 3, Gray 3.
Quarters: 12-26; 35-36; 58-66; 85-82.
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