MANILA – San Miguel Beermen displayed its full firepower from start to finish as it walloped Meralco Bolts, 121-97, in Game 1 of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Jaymar Perez top-scored with 25 points, with 18 coming in the first two quarters. John Rodney Brondial had career-high 20 points to go with 11 rebounds.
Vic Manuel chipped in 16 points before exiting in the fourth quarter with a finger injury, while June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter had 11 and 10, respectively.
SMB took a 1-0 edge in the semis.
From a close game midway in the first period, the Beermen leaned on second stringers Robbie Herndon, Ilonggo Jericho Cruz and Moala Tautuaa as the Beermen surged to 31-17 advantage.
San Miguel Beer continued to dominate from second quarter onwards with Perez leading the way and Fajardo, Brondial and Manuel owning inside as the lead reached its largest at 26 points.
Chris Banchero tallied 17 points, including five triples; Raymond Almazan added 16 markers, while Negrense Raymar Jose and Clifford Hodge had 12 and 11, respectively, for the Bolts.
Defending champions TNT Tropang Giga also took a 1-0 edge in their best-of-seven semifinals series following a 108-96 Game 1 domination of Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots in a rematch of last year’s All-Filipino conference finals.
The Tropang Giga set the tone in the opening quarter with triples from Mikey Williams, Roger Pogoy and Bacolodnon Kib Montalbo. The lead grew to 28-19 via consecutive baskets from Jayson Castro.
TNT continued its run in the second canto behind Williams for a 54-37 halftime lead before widening it further in the second half at 24 markers courtesy of third quarter explosion of Rosario and Glenn Khobuntin.
Williams finished Game 1 with 26 points, including four triples, Pogoy contributed 23 markers, while Khobuntin and Castro had 18 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Tropang Giga.
BOX SCORE:
SAN MIGUEL 121 — Perez 25, Brondial 20, Manuel 16, Fajardo 11, Lassiter 10, Cruz 9, Tautuaa 8, Enciso 8, Herndon 7, Pessumal 5, Ross 2.
MERALCO 97 — Banchero 17, Almazan 16, Jose 12, Hodge 11, Newsome 9, Quinto 9, Pascual 9, Black 8, Caram 4, Maliksi 2, Pasaol 0, Baclao 0, Belo 0.
Quarterscores: 33-17, 60-41, 85-64, 121-97./PN
