The San Miguel Beermen booked their place in the finals of the PBA Governors’ Cup opposite the Alaska Aces after they ousted the hard-fighting Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 117-110, in Game 4 of their best-of-five semifinals series last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
San Miguel won the series, 3-1, to make it to the finals for the 35th time in the franchise’s storied history.
The finals match-up is the second time this season that Alaska and San Miguel have met after facing off for the All-Filipino crown, which the Beermen won in a classic seven-game series.
Game 1 of the finals start tomorrow at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Import Arizona Reid led the way for San Miguel with 38 points and 11 rebounds while reigning league MVP, Cebuano June Mar Fajardo, had 27 markers highlighted by several clutch baskets that kept Rain or Shine at bay in the fourth period.
Arwind Santos also had a double-double of his own with 15 points and 14 rebounds while Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot submitted 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Still, the win did not come on a silver platter as San Miguel had to stave off a spirited comeback attempt by Rain or Shine from a 19-point deficit in the fourth.
The Elasto Painters stared at a 74-93 deficit but a steady stream of free-throws pulled them to within five, 95-100, near the halfway point of the last canto.
But Fajardo answered with a turnaround jumper, Reid added a runner and Cabagnot banked in a lay-up to push the lead back to nine, 106-97.
Rain or Shine made another run but Santos, Reid and Cabagnot sealed the win with consecutive buckets in the dying minutes of the match.