SAN Miguel Beer gained more momentum heading into the postseason by tripping Blackwater, 107-101, in the last elimination-round playdate of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Alonte Sports Center in Binan Laguna Sunday night.
Though returning import Elijah Millsap fouled out with less than three minutes left, he still finished with a game-high 25 points, to lead San Miguel, while Arwind Santos was in fiery form, scoring 19 points and hauling seven rebounds.
San Miguel Beer, which will have a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, stayed at No. 3 after finishing the eliminations with an 8-3 record.
“Though it’s a no-bearing for us, I told them we should still play with pride and effort,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.
The top seed is at stake as TNT KaTropa and Barangay Ginebra are figuring in a dog fight.
Should TNT win, San Miguel will be seeded No. 2, while if Ginebra triumphs, the Beermen will remain at No. 3.
San Miguel Beer will either face Alaska or NLEX in the quarters depending on its final placing.
A disappointing campaign and season finally came to a close for Blackwater as it ended up with a dismal 1-10 slate, punctuated by nine straight losses.
San Miguel Beer dominated early, was tested in the middle of the game and then methodically broke down the inexperienced Elite in the fourth to come out on top.
The quarterfinals-bound Beermen came out firing, establishing a double-digit lead, 32-20, at the end of one. They continued the assault and led by 17 points in the second, but Blackwater ended the period on a 9-0 run to inch within just six, 50-44, at the break.
The two teams remained neck-to-neck the entire third with Blackwater even leading by a single point briefly. Still, the Beermen carried a slim 78-75 edge into the payoff period.
In the fourth, the defending champions flexed their muscled systematically, starting the quarter with a 10-2 run to restore a double-digit lead, 88-77, with around seven minutes remaining in the game and they never looked back.
Millsap, who played for the Beermen in the 2013 version of this tournament where he led the team to a runner-up finish, replaced the ineffective Mike Singletary, looking for some unfinished business with San Miguel.
The scores:
San Miguel 107 – Millsap 25, Santos 19, Fajardo 18, Cabagnot 17, Tubid 15, Lassiter 3, De Ocampo 2, Espinas 2, Reyes 2, Ross 2, Semerad 2, Abdeen 0, Arana 0, Heruela 0.
Blackwater 101 – Dela Cruz 23, King 18, Pinto 13, Miranda 12, Lastimosa 11, Pascual 10, Sumang 8, Gamalinda 2, Sena 2, Tiongson 2, Eguilos 0, Reyes 0.
Quarters: 32-20, 50-44, 78-75, 107-101