Beermen score gutsy win in Fajardo’s historic night

Sports

CEBUANO behemoth June Mar Fajardo achieved another milestone, and the San Miguel Beermen ensured it wouldn't be spoiled.

The Beermen rallied from a 20-point fourth-quarter deficit to pull off an improbable 135-133 win over the NLEX Road Warriors in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Wednesday night, Oct. 21, at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.

San Miguel’s comeback was completed when Robert Bolick was called for a goal interference off a missed layup by George King.

Bolick’s violation shattered a 133-all deadlock with 5.2 seconds left. LJ Gonzalez then misfired a potential game-winning triple as time ran out, sealing the Beermen’s gutsy win.

The Beermen and the Road Warriors both ended the elimination round with 9-3 (win-loss) records in Group A. NLEX still took the top seeding owing to a higher quotient and will face the fourth-ranked team from Group B in the crossover quarterfinal round.

The Beermen finished as the No. 2 seed in Group B and will play the third-ranked Group B team in a best-of-five quarterfinal series.

King led the Beermen with 27 points while Fajardo added 26 points and 10 rebounds in a night that saw him join the league’s elite 10,000 point club.

Coming into the match, the 6-foot-10 center needed just five points to achieve the feat. He completed the milestone when he scored his fifth point at the 2:21 mark of the opening period.

The Pinamungajan, Cebu native Fajardo thus joined Ramon Fernandez, Jayson Castro, Abet Guidaben, Alvin Patrimonio, Atoy Co, Nelson Asaytono, Phillip Cezar, Jojo Lastimosa, William ‘Bogs’ Adornado, Robert Jaworski Sr., and Allan Caidic in the group.

Also part of the elite club are Norman Black, James Yap, Jerry Codiñera, Benjie Paras, Francis Arnaiz, Arwind Santos, and Mark Caguioa.

THE SCORES:

SAN MIGUEL BEER (135) – King 27, Fajardo 26, Trollano 23, Lassiter 19, Perez 14, Ross 8, Ahanmisi 8, Cruz 4, Tautuaa 4, Brondial 0.

NLEX (133) – Burton 43, Winston 20, Gonzales 20, Semerad 14, Bolick 13, Herndon 9, Valdez 6, Alas 6, Marcelo 2, Bahio 0, Gamboa 0, Nieto 0.QUARTERSCORES: 30-32; 60-68; 96-112; 135-133.(CCM)