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Friday, March 29, 2024

Beermen target pivotal Game Three

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WITH their best-of-seven championship playoff against TNT KaTropa in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup tied at one win apiece the San Miguel Beermen target a pivotal victory in Game 3 tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

After TNT import Josh Smith converted a crunch time basket to allow TNT to slip past the Beermen in the first game, San Miguel Beer made sure Friday night that no other TNT KaTropa player would be able to spring another surprise.

Three-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo took matters into his own hands as he led the Beermen to the Game 2 victory.

SMB import Charles Rhodes had a quiet evening but the SMB locals, led by Fajardo, picked up the slack as the Beermen roared to a 102-88 rout of the TNT KaTropa in the second game.

Talk N Text KaTropa point guard Jayson Castro (middle) drives past a pair of San Miguel Beer defenders in Chris Ross (left) and Marcio Lassiter (13). The Beermen and the Tropang Texters battle in the pivotal Game 3 tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Remembering their 102-104 loss in Game 1, the SMB locals played with a vengeance to overwhelm TNT KaTropa. The Beermen overcame a 0-17 deficit at the start of the game to post the scrambling victory.

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Fajardo, Chris Ross, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter towed San Miguel which tied the best-of-seven championship series at 1-1.

TNT started the game with both barrels blazing as they went off to a hot 17-0 start by led by Jason Castro, RR Pogoy, Anthony Semerad, Kelly Williams and Moala Tautuaa.

The Ka Tropa, however, were stopped and could not contain the determined Beermen who came back strong and eventually seized command of the game and led, 52-43, at halftime.

Fajardo had another dominant game and came through with a double-double. He finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Ross almost had a double-double effort with 20 markers and nine assists plus five rebounds.

Santos, meanwhile, also played a key role off the bench. He had 16 points and six rebounds.

Rhodes, shadowed all game long by TNT’s long-armed defense, struggled for just seven points and 11 rebounds. Smith was likewise contained and had 11 markers, six rebounds and five assists for TNT.

The Beermen started tentatively and missed their first six attempts. They turned the ball over thrice before scoring a first basket, thanks to Cabagnot, with already four minutes played in the game.

Santos provided the spark off the bench when he came in to replace Rhodes. Santos scorched the Tropang Texters with 11 points on three-of-three field goals and two-of-two charities as the Beermen erased the 17-point deficit. They cut the lead to eight, 24-32, at the end of the opening quarter.

Rhodes came out early after committing three errors and missing three shots. But the SMB locals stepped up. The Beermen roared to a 52-43 advantage after two quarters.

After an explosive start where they converted six three-pointers on a high 50-percent clip, TNT went cold in the quarter, making only one-of-seven three-point attempts and only three-of-10 from the field.

TNT will want to repeat their Game 1 victory when the hobbling Smith powered TNT KaTropa past reigning Philippine Cup three-peat champ San Miguel Beer.

The wide-bodied Smithed played through pain and delivered 21 points, including the game-winner that gave TNT the initial advantage in their best-of-seven championship series.

Smith converted a semi-hook off Fajardo as the Texters survived despite the absence of Ryan Reyes and Ranidel de Ocampo.

After Smith broke the 102-all tie, the Beermen did not have time to tie or salvage the game.

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