GAME SUNDAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. – TNT vs. SMB
SAN Miguel Beer guard Jericho Cruz treated the needle with a tight but bullet-fast pass to reigning eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo against Ginebra last night.
Showing up with those kind of grit and heart, the Beermen held off the Kings 100-93 in Game 7 of their best-of-7 semifinals duel to advance to the finals of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo bullied his way to the basket, scoring on a layup off Ginebra big man Troy Rosario with a foul to boot.
After completing the three-point play that gave SMB a 95-89 lead with 2:25 to go, the usually stoic Fajardo flexed his muscles to the jubilation of the Beermen faithful who came in outnumbered by their Kings counterparts.
But SMB made sure their supporters will not go home in tears on this rainy night, crawling its way back from an 11-point third quarter deficit.
The win allowed the Beermen to prevail in the series 4-3 and forge a Big Dance showdown with the grand slam-seeking TNT Tropang 5G.
Game 1 of the race-to-4 title round begins on Sunday, July 13, also at the Big Dome.
In front of a crowd of 12,279, Fajardo bucked a leg injury in the second quarter and anchored SMB’s attack with 21 points, a game-high 19 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks while veteran playmaker Chris Ross stepped up with 10 of his 19 markers in the payoff period, on top of three boards, seven dimes and four steals.
CJ Perez, Mo Tautuaa, and Don Trollano also had 15, 14, and 10 points, respectively for the Beermen.
Jamie Malonzo paced Ginebra with 22 points and four caroms while former MVP Scottie Thompson added 16 and seven.
RJ Abarrientos, Rosario, Stephen Holt, and Japeth Aguilar also got 16, 16, 15, and 15 points, respectively for the Kings.
