SMB, TNT post crucial wins in PBA Ph Cup

Sports

POWERHOUSE teams San Miguel Beermen and TNT Tropang Giga nailed crucial wins at the expense of separate opponents in the 50th PBA Philippine Cup on Friday night, Dec. 19, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The defending champions Beermen dominated the Meralco Bolts, 113-104, to become the top seed in the playoffs.

San Miguel secured the top spot that comes with a twice-to-beat bonus against their lower-ranked opponent in the quarterfinal round by finishing the eliminations with nine wins and only two losses.

San Miguel actually started the tournament with back-to-back losses before winning its next nine matches.

June Mar Fajardo was dominant in the win, tallying 21 points and 15 rebounds. CJ Perez also scored 21 points anchored on four triples.

Also coming up with a 21-point performance was Don Trollano as the Beermen used a balanced attack to deal the Bolts a critical loss.

Meralco fell to 6-5 (win-loss) that quashed its hopes of a Top 4 finish. The top four seeds in the playoffs will earn crucial twice-to-beat bonuses.

Meanwhile, the Tropa stayed in the hunt for a Top 4 finish by dumping the Blackwater Bossing, 113-96.

Calvin Oftana tallied 25 points, going 6-of-10 from three-point land that helped TNT post leads of as many as 26 points in the masterful win that hiked the team’s record 7-3 (win-loss)--good for third place.

TNT will look to formally clinch a playoff bonus when it ends its elimination-round campaign against the Magnolia Hotshots on Sunday, Dec. 21.

Blackwater bowed out with a 1-10 slate in what turned out to be another dismal campaign by the league’s perennial tail-ender.

THE SCORES:

FIRST GAME

TNT (113) – Oftana 25, Pogoy 18, Galinato 14, Ganuelas-Rosser 12, Heading 11, Khobuntin 8, Aurin 8, Enciso 6, Jalalon 4, Ferrer 3, Nambatac 2, Hill 2, Williams 0, Nieto 0.

BLACKWATER (96) – Mallilin 20, Barefield 13, David 13, Una 12, Cruz-Dumont 9, Guinto 9, Altamirano 8, Jopia 8, Mendoza 2, Zamar 2, Andrade 0.UARTERSCORES: 35-25; 66-51; 92-67; 113-96.

SECONDGAME

SAN MIGUEL (113) - Fajardo 24, Perez 24, Trollano 21, Cruz 11, Teng 7, Tiongson 6, Ross 4, Brondial 4, Lassiter 4, Tautuaa 4, Cahilig 2, Mantua 2, Rosales 0.

MERALCO (104) - Cansino 21, Quinto 11, Almazan 11, Comia 11, Bates 10, Newsome 9, Black 7, Banchero 7, Hodge 6, Reyson 6, Rios 3, Pascual 2, Maliksi 0.QUARTERSCORES: 29-25, 49-41, 83-66, 113-104.(CCM)