San Miguel handed TNT its first loss in the 2021 Honda PBA Philippine Cup by way of a dominant 83-67 win, Wednesday at the DHVSU Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The Tropang Giga actually scored the game’s first two points, but it proved to be the only time that they would ever lead. The Beermen responded with 18 consecutive points, marking the start of a one-sided affair the rest of the way.
SMB improved to 4-2 as it successfully bounced back from a 104-110 overtime loss in the hands of Terrafirma exactly a week ago.
“That loss was a wake-up call para sa amin,” said head coach Leo Austria. “It happened na kalaban namin ngayon ay Talk ‘N Text and this was a big game for us. I’m thankful for the players because yung sense of urgency, nandoon.”
Marcio Lassiter finished with a game-high 19 points in the victory. Terrence Romeo supplied 16 points on a 47-percent clip in his second game back from a knee injury he suffered in their season opener last July 18.
“I would also like to congratulate Terrence dahil ito ‘yung first win niya dito sa season na ‘to,” said Austria. “I’m happy for him dahil bumalik siya. Alam naman natin he could score a lot and he could help the team a lot.”
The tested tandem of Mo Tautuaa and CJ Perez finished with identical numbers of 13 points and six rebounds for the Beermen.
It was the 6-foot-7 big man who gave his team its biggest lead of the game at 27, 64-37, through a lay-up with 1:13 left in the third quarter.
Reigning six-time MVP June Mar Fajardo only scored eight points but he hauled down 17 rebounds — San Miguel ruled the boards, 67-38.
“Talagang makikita mo na slowly, he’s getting back to his physical conditioning. And the most important thing is yung mental. But siyempre, it’s not that easy,” said the multiple-time Coach of the Year.
Meanwhile, TNT was led by Kib Montalbo with 13 points. Roger Pogoy and Brian Heruela were the only ones who scored in twin digits with 10 apiece.
The Tropa’s 67 points, per league stats chief Fidel Mangonon III, are their lowest in a game since a 77-63 defeat to Petron Blaze on November 23, 2013 in a 2013-14 Philippine Cup elimination round meeting.
San Miguel and TNT will get back into action on Friday, September 10 as part of a triple-header. The Beermen figures in a titanic clash with Ginebra at 6:00 p.m., after the Texters’ clash with sister team NLEX at 3:00 p.m.
The Scores:
San Miguel 83 — Lassiter 19, Romeo 16, Tautuaa 13, Perez 13, Santos 9, Fajardo 8, Ross 3, Zamar 2, Pessumal 0, Gamalinda 0.
TNT 67 –– Montalbo 13, Heruela 10, Pogoy 10, Rosario 9, M. Williams 7, Alejandro 7, Erram 5, Marcelo 3, Mendoza 2, Castro 1, Exciminiano 0.
Quarterscores: 24-10, 43-43, 64-44, 83-67.
