SMB ends elims campaign in style

San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo (15) challenges the shot of TNT’s Mo Tautuaa in their PBA Philippine Cup match last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City. /PBA MEDIA BUREAU

San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo (15) challenges the shot of TNT’s Mo Tautuaa in their PBA Philippine Cup match last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
/PBA MEDIA BUREAU

Games today
(Cuneta Astrodome)

4:30 p.m. – GlobalPort vs Rain or Shine
6:45 p.m. – NLEX vs Barangay Ginebra

ANTIPOLO – San Miguel Beer refused to lose a game it didn’t need to win on last night, rallying from four points down in the final minute to pull out a 98-94 win over TNT KaTropa that put the Texters in a playoff bubble in the PBA Philippine Cup at Ynares Center here.

June Mar Fajardo scored four straight points to knot things up at 94, before Alex Cabagnot drained the go-ahead triple with 23 seconds left as the Beermen, already assured of a twice-to-beat privilege two weeks ago, closed out their elimination round stint with a 10-1 record.

The Petron Saturday Special win also left the entire picture all muddled up, as No. 2 ranking – and the second win-once bonus in the quarterfinals – still hangs in the balance with three teams – Alaska, Rain or Shine and Star – still in it.

Rain or Shine, at 5-4, gets a crack to stay in that race at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay when the Elasto Painters tangle with a GlobalPort crew that tries to make the playoffs formally.

The Aces will then take on Rain or Shine this Wednesday at 4:15 p.m. before Star battles also-ran Mahindra in the 7 p.m. contest with an Alaska win to win the second twice-to-beat privilege even if the Hotshots prevail over the Floodbuster. /MUSONG R. CASTILLO

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