Fajardo outperforms Slaughter as Beermen nip Kings
Cebuano players June Mar Fajardo and Greg Slaughter both put up big numbers, including big-time plays in the homestretch.
But it was Fajardo who had the last laugh as the San Miguel Beermen escaped the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 79-77, last night in the 40th PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Fajardo finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds and four blocked shots to help the Beermen move up to solo second place in the team standings with their fifth win in six games.
Slaughter collected 16 points and 17 rebounds but Ginebra dropped to a joint third place with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters with identical 5-2 (win-loss) slates.
The Kings clawed back from double-digit deficits with Slaughter scoring five straight points to tie the contest at 72-all with 40.7 seconds left.
Fajardo made a crafty move in the paint to San Miguel on top again, 76-74. Ginebra had the opportunity to tie the game anew but Japeth Aguilar missed what looked a sure alley-oop basket off a Slaughter pass.
Arwind Santos made it a four-point game for San Miguel by downing two free throws with 14.8 ticks left.
Slaughter scored underneath but Santos hit two more freebies for a 78-74 lead with 7.9 seconds to go.
Ginebra still refused to go away as Jay-jay Helterbrand hit a deep corner triple that cut San Miguel’s lead to a solitary points, 77-78, with 5.9 seconds to go.
Ginebra sent Fajardo to the free throw line and the former University of the Visayas stalwart hit his first but missed the second.
With Ginebra out of timout, Joseph Yeo was forced to launch and badly missed a three-point shot from near halfcourt.
Meanwhile, Koy Banal finally tasted his first win as a PBA head coach as the Barako Bull Energy Colas (1-5) nipped Kia Sorento (1-6), 87-71.
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