February 12 ------ JERICHO Cruz sent San Miguel back in front in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, torching Magnolia with his red-hot three-point shooting in a 108-98 victory at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Cruz finished with a playoff career-high 30 points behind a sizzling 8-of-14 from three-point distance, leading a bench mob that put the Beermen back in control at 3-2 after conceding the last two games of the best-of-seven finals.
Cruz also nailed the dagger for San Miguel - a three from the deep right corner with 51.9 seconds left to dampen a late run that saw Magnolia get within two points. The Beermen can seal their 29th PBA championship on Wednesday in Game Six, also at the Big Dome. Cruz was a huge factor for the Beermen days after he missed Game Three of the finals due to an automatic one-game suspension for incurring his fifth technical foul of the conference in the previous contest.
Simon Enciso also contributed 15 points on five threes in a surprise start for the Beermen. Cruz and Enciso combined for three threes that got San Miguel ahead, 88-75 - a lead that held even after Magnolia went on a late run to cut the deficit to three. “We were just composed in the fourth quarter when they made a run,” said San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent. “We made certain mistakes but we just made up. As what I always say, we forget our mistakes and think of the next play, which the players did.”
Bennie Boatwright had 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists, but his 1-of-6 shooting from threes didn’t weigh down San Miguel’s play in Game Five. Even June Mar Fajardo produced despite suffering a calf injury last Friday, tallying 18 points and 15 rebounds in Game Five.
Tyler Bey had 34 points, eight rebounds, and three steals, while Jio Jalalon had 17 points for Magnolia, which never led in the game. Mark Barroca, however, shot just 2-of-7 from the field to score four points. He had seven rebounds and seven assists but had a game-high six turnovers.
The scores:
San Miguel 108 – Cruz 30, Boatwright 21, Fajardo 18, Enciso 15, Trollano 10, Perez 8, Tautuaa 2, Ross 2, Lassiter 2, Brondial 0.
Magnolia 98 – Bey 34, Jalalon 17, Sangalang 15, Lee 12, Dionisio 6, Abueva 5, Barroca 4, Dela Rosa 3, Laput 2, Reavis 0, Tratter 0.
Quarters: 25-18; 48-41; 76-68; 108-98.
Source: spin.ph
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