Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Miguel Beermen met for a third time at the Smart Araneta Coliseum looking to get ahead in their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series. San Miguel got the job done, dishing out a command performance to register a 91-85 victory and grab a 2-1 lead in the two teams’ semifinals rematch.
What Happened?
San Miguel established control right in the first half, building as much as a 43-30 lead just past the midway point of the second quarter thanks to strong performances from Don Trollano, Marcio Lassiter, and Mo Tautaa. An 11-4 finishing kick to end the first half, though, nudged Ginebra to within 47-41 at intermission.A 9-2 burst to start the third gave Ginebra the lead, 50-49, but it was short-lived as San Miguel next unleashed a 16-0 blast to grab a 65-50 advantage. The Beermen extended that lead to 70-52 and cruised to their second win in the series.
Who Stood Out?
Don Trollano was a stud in Game 3, finishing with 33 in his best game of the series so far. More importantly, he scored 10 points during that backbreaking 16-0 run in the third quarter that blew the game wide open for the Beermen. He added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals on 11-for-21 shooting from the field. CJay Perez helped out with 19 points on 7-for-10 shooting from inside the arc.
Ginebra, in contrast, couldn’t find a hero in this game. Scottie Thompson, with his all-around outing of 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, stood out somewhat, but Tim Cone’s wards struggled, by and large, for most of Game 3.
3 Keys to the Game
- Don Trollano. If Jeron Teng was the story of Game 2, Trollano was the story of Game 3. His Herculean 33-point effort was a masterclass, and his timely baskets proved to be the difference-maker in a game where Ginebra fought till the bitter end.
- Bench play. After getting badly outplayed by Ginebra’s second stringers in Game 1, the San Miguel bench has now imposed its will in back-to-back games. Trollano, again, led the way in this regard, but Mo Tautaa also added 13 points and 5 boards, while Jericho Cruz, Juami Tiongson, and Teng chipped in a combined 9 markers. In all, San Miguel’s bench mob outscored their counterparts from Ginebra, 56-34.
- Paint play. The Beermen scored more points in the paint than Ginebra even with June Mar Fajardo held to only 6 points. That’s a credit to Trollano, Tautaa, and CJay Perez all attacking the heart of the Ginebra defense and getting into the interior. In all, San Miguel had 50 points in the paint to Ginebra’s 38.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA Philippine Cup shifts to the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday with a pair of Game 4s. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Miguel Beermen will continue their series in the first game, followed by Game 4 of the TNT versus Meralco showdown.
Ginebra vs. San Miguel (5:15 p.m.)
Meralco vs. TNT (7:30 p.m.)
