San Miguel dominates from start to finish to dump Alaska in Game 1 of PBA Finals

San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo shoots over Alaska’s Sonny Thoss in Game 1 of the 40th PBA Governors’ Cup Best-of-7 Finals last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
(PBA IMAGES)

30-POINT BLOWOUT

Clicking on all cylinders, San Miguel was quick to build double-digit leads and with Alaska nowhere near the form that made them the number-one seed in the playoffs, Game 1 of the 40th PBA Governors’ Cup became a lopsided affair.

The Beermen took off to a rousing start and didn’t let up the rest of the way to hand the Aces a 108-78 beating and grab a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven titular showdown last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The four-day break that the Aces earned after scoring a 3-0 sweep in their semifinal series against the Star Hotshots may have taken its toll on them.

The Aces looked sluggish on both ends of the floor against the Beermen, who appeared sharp coming off a one-day break after dispatching the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last Wednesday in their semis duel.

The Beermen ended the first period with a 35-22 lead.  Since Alaska has earned a reputation of making big comebacks, perhaps everyone expected a big fight back.

None came and San Miguel cruised to the most lopsided win in a PBA championship game since Air21 blew out the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 124-90, in Game 2 of 2008 Fiesta Conference Finals.

San Miguel import AZ Reid led the team’s scorching offensive run, going 14-for-29 from the field to finish with a game-high 32 points. He also had seven assists and six rebounds.

Reid totally outplayed his counterpart as Alaska import Romeo Travis scored just 14 points on a dismal six-for-18 from the field.

San Miguel went 37-for-82 from the field for a 45 percent clip. Alaska had 82 field goal attempts but made just 29.

Alaska was also not in its element defensively as it allowed San Miguel to score more than 100 points after limiting its opponent to just 87-5 points a game when it won its first four games in the playoffs.

Cebuano big man June Mar Fajardo gave Alaska more headaches as the leading MVP contender piled up 18 points, 17 rebounds and three blocked shots.

Alex Cabagnot and Arwind Santos added 15 points apiece, while Chris Lutz donated 12 for the Beermen, who shot 10-for-28 from the three-point land.

Lutz and Santos each had three triples, while Lassiter  and Cabagnot had two.

Apart from Travis, Sonny Thoss was the only other Alaska starter to score in twin digits with 11.

Dondon Hontiveros and Calvin Abueva finished with 11 markers apiece.

Abueva tried to keep Alaska afloat when he sank four straight free throws to  push the Aces within eight, 64-72, late in the third.

The Beermen went into the fourth with a 77-65 lead then opened the fourth with a 10-2 to erect a huge 87-67 lead.