Chris Ross finished with a near triple-double while the San Miguel Beermen denied a late-game fightback from Barangay Ginebra to score a 100-85 win Sunday in the 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen closed the game on a 27-14 note after being threatened midway through the fourth period to extend its conference-best winning streak to 5 wins.
Ross had 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists while Arizona Reid fired 12 of his 27 points in the third quarter to help the squad build a comfortable margin heading into the final frame.
San Miguel turned a 41-40 halftime deficit to a 63-47 bubble as Reid caught fire in the penultimate quarter, although Josh Urbiztondo led a tremendous fightback from the Kings, scoring 11 in the third which included three triples.
An and-one play by Japeth Aguilar in transition pulled Ginebra within 71-73, but San Miguel responded in the end with big shots to negate any comeback aspirations from Ginebra.
June Mar Fajardo added 10 points and 20 boards, outplaying Greg Slaughter (6 points, 6 rebounds) who was visibly still trying to pick up the stride in his return.
The Beermen also shot 45 percent from three-point area, a stark contrast from the Kings’ 33 percent from downtown and 36 percent overall.
Orlando Johnson paced Ginebra, which dropped to 2-4, with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 6 dimes while Urbiztondo added 20 points, all scored in the second half.
The Scores:
San Miguel (100) – Reid 27, Ross 19, Lassiter 13, Santos 11, Fajardo 10, Cabagnot 8, Lutz 5, Espinas 4, Tubid 3, Reyes 0.
Ginebra (85) – Johnson 22, Urbiztondo 20, Aguilar 16, Slaughter 6, Caguioa 6, Mercado 5, Brondial 4, Tenorio 3, Monfort 3, Pena 0, Marcelo 0, Helterbrand 0.
Quarters: 22-19, 41-40, 71-62, 100-85.
