By JONAS TERRADO
Defending champion San Miguel Beer waxed hot from three-point country in the fourth quarter to complete a come-from-behind 89-82 victory over Meralco in Wednesday’s lone game of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center.
The Beermen knocked down five triples in the payoff period to overturn a 14-point deficit and 69-60 after three quarters to extend their winning streak to three games following an alarming 1-2 start.
Alex Cabagnot made nine of his 13 points in the fourth while Chris Ross nailed the dagger with a left elbow trey for 89-82 SMB with 19 seconds remaining.
“Most of our shots talagang hindi pumapasok, but once na nag-init na sila then that’s it,” said SMB coach Leo Austria, whose team was 2-of-16 from downtown when Ross made a buzzer-beating three to end the third.
Mo Tautuaa and Arwind Santos, arguably the team’s most consistent players since entering the bubble known as Smart Clark Giga City, were again productive for San Miguel which improved to 4-2.
Tautuaa topscored with 23 points while Santos registered 17 points and 11 rebounds in almost 42 minutes for a league-best fifth double-double of the season.
Baser Amer made 17 points, Reynel Hugnatan had 15 and PBA Press Corps Player of the Week Chris Newsome scored 14 but the Bolts failed to sustain the lead, dropping to 3-3 following back-to-back wins.
Meralco scored 13 straight points behind with Newsome accounting for five to go ahead 65-52, more than two minutes left in the third.
But SMB closed the period with an 8-4 run capped by Ross’ buzzer-beating triple. That sparked a revival for the Beermen as Santos and Tautuaa made back-to-back threes to open the fourth.
Baskets and free throws made by Tautuaa was followed by a Von Pessumal trey, putting SMB in front 74-71 with nine minutes remaining. The Beermen never looked back with Cabagnot hitting shots when needed.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 89 — Tautuaa 23, Santos 17, Cabagnot 13, Ross 12, Lassiter 12, Pessumal 4, Gamalinda 4, Zamar 2, Escoto 2, Mamaril 0.
MERALCO 82 — Amer 17, Hugnatan 15, Newsome 14, Black 7, Hodge 7, Quinto 6, Almazan 5, Maliksi 5, Jamito 4, Pinto 2, Faundo 0, Jackson 0.
Quarters: 19-20, 40-40, 60-69, 89-82.
