MANILA, December 4 ------ The San Miguel Beermen were victorious in their PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup debut.
The perennial league powerhouse stunned the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 107-104 in their clash at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Marcio Lassiter saved the day for SMB and hit the go-ahead basket that enabled them to complete their comeback from 16 points down. "Coach Jorge [Gallent] drew a good play for us," said Lassiter, who had 15 points, two steals, and two assists. "I was just able to get a good look."
CJ Perez led San Miguel with 18 points, three assists, and two rebounds, while Quincy Miller had a 14-point, 10 rebound game. Andreas Cahilig and Juami Tiongson were also stellar in their SMB debut as the former posted 12 points — all of which came as triples in their comeback in the fourth — while the latter put up eight markers and five dimes — one of which served as the assist to Lassiter's late basket.
After trailing 87-71, Cahilig willed the Beermen back to within seven by draining three straight treys, and he was also the one who gave them back the lead, 98-95, with another trey at the 4:31 mark. Tyler Tio, however, refused to let Phoenix just ride into the sunset, as his spin move down the middle with only a minute and 14 left gave them a 102-101 lead, and he also answered a Miller basket with coast-to-coast lay-in with only 14.7 ticks left to put them up, 104-103.
Unfortunately for Phoenix, Lassiter drained a baseline jumper right after that play, and Simon Enciso iced the game with a pair of makes at the foul line with only 0.7 left on the clock. This, in turn, spoiled Donovan Smith's 37-point, 15-rebound game, as well as the performances of Tio (23 points, six assists, five rebounds) and Jason Perkins (21 points, six rebounds, two assists).
THE SCORES:
San Miguel 107 – Perez 18, Lassiter 15, Miller 14, Trollano 14, Cahilig 12, Tiongson 8, Fajardo 8, Cruz 8, Enciso 5, Ross 3, Brondial 2, Tautuaa 0.
Phoenix 104 – Smith 37, Tio 23, Perkins 21, Tuffin 7, Rivero 4, Jazul 4, Garcia 3, Manganti 3, Ballungay 2, Verano 0, Ular 0, Alejandro 0, Camacho 0.
Quarterscores: 28-29, 54-49, 71-80, 107-104
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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