Author: Martin Dale D. Bolima
Photo Credit: PBA
The San Miguel Beermen and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel delivered a classic in Game 2 of their PBA Governors’ Cup semis series on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen and the Barangay delivered the goods in a game filled with twists and turns, big shots, big games, and a vantage performance as San Miguel leveled the best-of-seven series at 1-1 with a pulsating 131-125 victory in overtime.
As in Game 1, the first half was an all-out slugfest, with Ginebra taking the first, 24-22, before San Miguel took a 51-47 lead at halftime behind the imposing inside attack of June Mar Fajardo and EJ Anosike.
San Miguel Dominates the Paint in Rollercoaster Second Half
San Miguel continued to pound it inside after intermission to take an 85-76 advantage going into the final canto. It looked like the Beermen were headed for a blowout win with Ginebra struggling to contain the Fajardo-Anosike attack, along with some Cjay Perez playmaking. Team NSD, however, stayed within striking distance in the payoff period—long enough for that vaunted never-say-die magic spirit to make one final push thanks to—who else?—Justin Brownlee.
With Brownlee suddenly coming alive, Ginebra finally nudged ahead at about the two-minute mark and looked headed for a comeback win. But the Beermen conjured some never-say-die magic of their own, orchestrating a frantic finish that turned a 103-99 deficit into a 110-108 lead on a Perez four-pointer off a loose ball with 2.4 ticks left.
Ginebra, though, got a new lease of life in the ensuing possession, with Terrence Romeo sending Maverick Ahanmisi to the charity stripe after an ill-advised foul. The do-it-all guard calmly sank both freebies to tie the game at 110 and send it to OT.
All the big shots went San Miguel’s way in extra time, with Terrence Romeo authoring nine straight points—a pull-up middy, a pull-up trey, and a catch-and-shoot four-pointer—to put the Beermen ahead for good, 121-117.
Anosike led four Beermen who scored more than 20, chipping in 35 points and 9 rebounds, while Perez was sensational, chalking up 28 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists. Romeo finished with 26 points—most coming in the fourth and OT.
Game 3 will be on Sunday at Dasmariñas Arena in Cavite.
The Scores (OT):
- SAN MIGUEL 131 – Anosike 35, Perez 28, Romeo 26, Fajardo 23, Lassiter 12, Cruz 5, Tautuaa 2, Ross 0, Rosales 0, Trollano 0, Enciso 0, Manuel 0
- GINEBRA 125 – Brownlee 39, J.Aguilar 29, Thompson 16, Ahanmisi 15, Holt 14, Abarrientos 4, Tenorio 3, Cu 2, Devance 2, Pinto 1
