CJ Perez landed the painful haymakers in the clutch to save San Miguel past TNT, 95-89, and take the 2-1 in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup best-of-7 Finals before a solid crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, Sunday night.
The one-time Finals MVP punched in 20 points, 17 of which he produced in the deciding frame alone, highlighted by seven straight from beyond the arcs to put the Beermen back up after squandering an 86-79 lead with 3:27 to go.
He first knocked down the go-ahead four-pointer to wipe out a three-point Tropang 5G lead. Then he nailed a pull-up triple against the defense of the much longer Calvin Oftana to push their lead to 93-89 with 12.3 seconds left.
The opposition went for the four in an attempt to equalize, but Jordan Heading missed. Marcio Lassiter’s perfect trip to the foul line with 4.9 seconds remaining was all enough for SMB to regain control of the series.
The crew ended the game with a 9-0 blast thanks to yet another solid showcase of character after coughing up a hot 33-16 start into the match.
(C) PBA Images
“Makikita niyo, ‘yung last possessions, lahat sa kanya ko binigay,” offered head coach Leo Austria of his star guard. “Although that play wasn’t for him because we’re after a quick two or a quick three, he had the opportunity.”
“And that kind of shot, ginagawa niya sa practice and sa game. That’s why nung pataas pa lang yung bola, palagay ko papasok ito,” the champion mentor added. “Nakinig ‘yung nasa taas natin. I’m so happy with his guts.”
Perez, who only had three points on 1-of-6 shooting, finished with a 54.8-percent clip from the floor, including a perfect 6-for-6 in the fourth.
“Ginawa ko lang ‘yung makakaya kong gawin,” he said. “Nag-respond lang ako sa kung ano yung binibigay sa akin na trust ng mga coaches.”
Four more players scored in double figures in the dramatic win, with Don Trollano coming through with 19 points, including 11 in the third.
June Mar Fajardo was just a few rebounds short of hauling down 30 as the league’s only nine-time MVP finished with 16 points and 27 boards, which he laced with three assists and the same number of blocks.
Mo Tautua’a continued his fine play with 14 points, while Marcio Lassiter chipped in 10 markers mainly behind a 6-for-6 clip from the foul line.
“I give credit to all my players because of their experience in this kind of game,” said Austria, whose charges also collected 13 stocks (steals and blocks).
(C) PBA Images
Oftana led TNT with 25 points in the defeat — their second in a row after winning the best-of-7 opener last Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Heading supplied 15 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists. Meanwhile, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser finished with his own double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds for a side that led by as many as 11, 61-50, but couldn’t keep it.
Rey Nambatac added 12 points in the deflating loss that also spoiled the return of Roger Pogoy from a hamstring injury he sustained during the semis.
Game 4 is on Wednesday, January 28, at the Mall of Asia Arena, still, with San Miguel of course hoping to take a commanding 3-1 lead.
The Scores:
San Miguel 95 – Perez 20, Trollano 19, Fajardo 16, Tautuaa 14, Lassiter 10, Cruz 8, Brondial 4, Teng 4, Ross 0, Tiongson 0.
TNT 89 – Oftana 25, Heading 15, Rosser 15, Nambatac 12, Galinato 6, Khobuntin 5, Erram 4, Pogoy 4, Enciso 3, Williams 0, Jalalon 0.
Quarterscores: 33-19, 44-50, 67-72, 95-89.
