San Miguel Beer absorbed a 96-68 beating at the hands of Japan B. League’s Ryukyu Golden Kings at the Nikkan Arena in the 2023 EASL Champions’ Week Thursday in Utsunomiya, Japan.
The Beermen immediately lost their might when June Mar Fajardo exited just 21 seconds after he was subbed in midway through the first frame, allowing the Japanese side led by imports Allen Durham and Jack Cooley to feast on SMB’s crippled interior defense.
The Golden Kings completely tore the game apart in the second quarter by turning a slim 24-17 lead at the end of the first quarter into a 49-28 cushion which the Philippine Cup titlists never recovered.
Cooley dropped a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds for Ryuku, while Keita Imamura also fired 20 markers. Durham added 13 points and 16 boards while debuting Filipino import Carl Tamayo finished with four points.
Cameron Clark tried to hold the fort for SMB but even his 25-point effort went down the drain as aside from CJ Perez, who finished with 12 points, no other SMB player scored in double figures.
It was a rough start so far for the Philippine representatives in the regional tiff as SMB’s lopsided loss also came less than 24 hours since TNT succumbed to another B. League in Utsunomiya Brex, 99-66.