Big win but a costly one. The defending champions San Miguel Beermen barreled their way to the Finals after hacking out a 90-82 come-from-behind win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last night in Game 6 of their best-of-seven semifinal series of the 41st PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen wrapped up the series, 4-2, setting up a grudge rematch with the Alaska Aces in a race-to-four title showdown which will start tomorrow.
San Miguel won last year’s Philippine Cup crown at the expense of Alaska in a title series that went the full route.
Jericho Cruz of Rain or Shine shoots over San Miguel Beer’s Ronald Tubid in Game 6 of their 41st PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal series last night at the Aeraneta Coliseum. (INQUIRER PHOTO)
The two teams also met in last season’s Governors’ Cup but the series was a lopsided one after the Beermen, led by their prolific import AZ reid, swept the Aces, 4-0.
The huge win, however, was overshadowed by June Mar Fajardo’s early exit after the two-time league MVP sustained a knee injury in the 7:11 mark of the third period.
The Cebuano big man was positioning underneath for a possible rebound as fellow Cebuano JR Quinahan was about to take a shot.
Rain or Shine guard Jireh Ibañez tried to box out Fajardo, who was nudged from behind.
Fajardo’s left knee appeared to have buckled after the contact, sending the 6-foot-9 behemoth to the floor grimacing in pain.
Fajardo laid on the floor for a few minutes before he was stretchered off the court. Fajardo, who had scored 14 points before the premature exit, was later taken to a hospital.
Fajardo reportedly heard something popped in his knee before he slumped to the floor.
Interestingly, it was when Fajardo left that the Beermen made a decisive run.
San Miguel trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half and was down, 49-52 when Fajardo sustained the injury.
Fielded in to replace Fajardo, Gabby Espinas sparked a huge rally for San Miguel, scoring six points in a 12-3 run that pushed the Beerment to a 61-55 lead.
San Miguel ended the third with a 7-2 run to bring a 70-63 lead into the fourth.
Also making instant impact for the Beermen was another big Yancy de Ocampo, who made four straight points to start the fourth, keying a 12-4 tear as San Miguel padded the lead to 82-67 with 7:35 left.
The best Rain or Shine could do was to move within 82-86 with only 31.9 seconds left.
Marcio Lassiter paced San Miguel with 22 points, while Arwind Santos tallied 15 markers, 14 rebounds and two blocked shots.
Belga led the way for the Elasto Painters with 16 points.
THE SCORES
SAN MIGUEL BEER (90)- Lassiter 22, Santos 15, Fajardo 14, Espinas 9, Ross 8, Cabagnot 6, Tubid 6, Arana 4, De Ocampo 4, Lutz 2.
RAIN OR SHINE (82) – Belga 16, Norwood 14,Ponferada 14, Chan 11, Ibanes 10, Cruz 6, Ahanmisi 5, Quinahan 4, Trollano 2, Tiu 0.QUARTERSCORES: 19-16, 37-46, 70-63, 90-82.