Behind Chris McCollough’s powerful performance, the San Miguel Beermen eliminated the second-seeded NorthPort Batang Pier with a thrilling 90-88 win to march into the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, Wednesday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Chris McCullough came through in the waning moments to save the Beermen, who lost hold of a 16-point lead after the Batang Pier unfurled a furious 23-3 scoring blitz that saw them take an 86-82 lead with 1:51 left to play.
McCullough first made a lay-up off an aggressive drive to the rim to give San Miguel the lead back, 89-88, with 25.9 seconds remaining. He then split his freebies from the line with 11.2 ticks left, before the rest of SMB stopped NorthPort from scoring.
The former NBA cager finished with a game-high 31 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks, and three steals.
“We’re lucky we got the breaks in the last three possessions,” said San Miguel head coach Leo Austria. “So lucky to get back into the semifinals, because we have been struggling since the start of the Commissioner’s Cup.”
“We’re so happy we made it in spite of the fact that we were at number seven at the end of eliminations. Our experience helped us a lot, especially in the last few possessions. Thank God that He gave us this win,” Austria furthered.
Arwind Santos had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the win. Five of his points were successive, including a booming three from his favorite spot on the right-wing – just shortly after NorthPort held a four-point lead.
This is now the third time in team history that the Beermen overcame a twice-to-win disadvantage.
Still, San Miguel suffered a major blow after they lost Marcio Lassiter to an apparent knee injury. The Beerman sustained it with 3:22 left in the second quarter after colliding mid-air with Garvo Lanete and landing awkwardly.
Lassiter never returned to the game, departing for the Cardinal Santos Medical Center during the third quarter. The 6-foot-3 sniper exited with 11 points on 3-of-4 shooting from the field, along with three rebounds, two dimes, and a block.
NorthPort were led by Lanete’s 22 points built on five triples. Mo Tautuaa had 20 points, six rebounds, and as many assists; import Prince Ibeh had 15 points, 20 rebounds, and seven blocks; while Robert Bolick chimed in 13.
The loss wasted the Batang Pier’s impressive run in this conference, where they finished with a franchise-best 9-2 record en route to clinching the twice-to-beat edge. They have missed the semis bus for 10 conferences now.
San Miguel will face the winner between Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Blackwater Elite in the semis.
The Scores:
San Miguel 90 – McCullough 31, Lassiter 11, Cabagnot 10, Santos 10, Fajardo 8, Standhardinger 8, Romeo 5, Pessumal 3, Ross 2, Rosser 2.
NorthPort 88 – Lanete 22, Tautuaa 20, Ibeh 15, Bolick 13, Anthony 10, Taha 4, Elorde 2, Ferrer 2, Mercado 0, Cruz 0.
Quarterscores: 21-27, 43-39, 72-62, 90-88.
