MANILA – San Miguel Beermen played catch up for most part of the game before pulling off a 98-93 victory over TNT Tropang Giga in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
After being down by as much as 10 points late in the second quarter, the Beermen slowly clawed its way back in the second half until they got the lead at 92-91 via a three-pointer by Chris Ross.
The Tropang Giga regained the lead at 93-92 on a layup by Bacolodnon Kib Montalbo, but a tough basket by Jaymar Perez, a putback by Ivan Aska and two free throws by llonggo Jericho Cruz clinched the victory for the Beermen.
Aska, who is potentially playing his final game as Beermen’s import, finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals as they scored back-to-back wins to improve to 5-3 win-loss slate.
Perez chipped in 20 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block, while Terrence Romeo contributed 14 markers for the Beermen, which were shorthanded with the absence of June Mar Fajardo, Jeron Teng, and Vic Manuel.
Calvin Oftana had a double-double of 27 points and 13 rebounds, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 26 points and 15 rebounds, while Jayson Castro and Glenn Khobuntin had 12 and 11, respectively, as the Tropang Giga dropped to 4-4.
Meanwhile, Meralco Bolts relied on their hot three-point shooting to defeat Converge FiberXers, 105-99, and secure a quarterfinals seat with its 6-1 win-loss slate. The FiberXers dropped to 1-7.
The Bolts went to work in the opening half as they established a 27-18 first quarter lead, which grew to 55-37 at the half and later to its biggest at 70-41 behind Zach Lofton, Allein Maliksi, and Chris Banchero.
The FiberXers, however, went on a huge fourth quarter rampage behind Justin Arana, Alec Stockton, and import Jamil Wilson but they only managed to cut the deficit to as low as six points.
Lofton top-scored for the Bolts with 30 points, including five three-point conversions, Banchero and Maliksi combined for nine treys to end up with 21 and 20 markers, respectively.
On Saturday night, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (3-5) handed Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (7-1) its first loss of the tournament, 113-110. Demetrius Treadwell led the Painters with 30 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists./PN
BOX SCORE:
SAN MIGUEL 98 – Aska 25, Perez 20, Romeo 14, Tautuaa 9, Cruz 9, Lassiter 6, Brondial 6, Ross 5, Trollano 4.
TNT 93 – Oftana 27, Hollis-Jefferson 26, Castro 12, Khobuntin 11, Montalbo 7, Ponferrada 6, Ganuelas-Rosser 4, Reyes 0, Tungcab 0, Galinato 0, Aurin 0.
Quarterscores: 22-29, 45-52, 69-75, 98-93.
