With a two-game winning streak behind them, the San Miguel Beermen have finally entered the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
Having recovered from two straight losses in the middle of the eliminations carries a lot of weight to the team.
“What is important for us is recovery. This team, when it comes to the playoffs, they play differently unless they feel something,” said Beermen coach Leo Austria on Zoom after their game on Tuesday evening.
The Beermen gained confidence and the needed momentum after a 120-99 beating of NorthPort Tuesday at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena and Cultural Center.
Arwind Santos led six players who knocked in double-digit scores for the Beermen.
Santos checked in with a double-double of 23 points and on 4-for-7 shooting from the three-point range, aside from hauling 11 rebounds, while Marcio Lassiter put in 21 points off his four triples and seven assists.
“We’re so happy to get into the playoffs after a week of really thinking about what will happen to us because we felt that our team was really struggling because of a lot of injuries,” said Austria.
The Beermen have now hiked their chances of taking one of three remaining twice-to-beat berths with their 7-4 win-loss card.
