BACK on track.
SAN Miguel Beer reclaimed sole possession of first place as it bounced back with a cruising 114-108 beatdown of dysfunctional NLEX to boost its bid further in the resumption of the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City.
Charles Rhodes dominated to pace his squad, producing monster numbers of 37 points and 19 rebounds as he propelled the Beermen to victory.
San Miguel Beer moved back to solo first with a 6-1 card. More importantly, it moved a step closer to securing a berth in the quarterfinals and finishing in the Top 2.
Chris Ross likewise had a double-double, scoring 15 points and dishing out 11 assists while Arwind Santos had 13 to further help Rhodes.
The misery continued for the already-ousted Road Warriors as they remained winless in nine games, with only two games remaining.
It was one-sided affair from start to finish and the final tally might not indicate San Miguel’s dominance.
The Beermen ended the opening period with a decisive 17-2 bomb to take a commanding 36-22 spread into the second period.
From there, they never looked back and led by twin-digits most of the way before NLEX trimmed the distance in the closing minutes to make the final score respectable.
Just a day removed from Gilas Pilipinas’ SEABA championship win, reigning Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo surprisingly suited up and played for San Miguel, giving the Beermen a huge boost.
He scored 12 points, same production as Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot.
The new-look Road Warriors, despite some new weapons, still couldn’t find the mark.
NLEX is now playing with veterans JR Quinahan and Larry Fonacier after acquiring them in a trade two weeks ago as the team continued its rebuilding process amid all its struggles.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 114—Rhodes 37, Ross 15, Santos 13, Cabagnot 12, Lassiter 12, Fajardo 12, Espinas 8, Heruela 5, Reyes 0, Agovida 0.
NLEX 108—Chism 22, Al-Hussaini 18, Quinahan 12, Lastimosa 12, Mallari 11, Tiongson 10, Alas 9, Rios 7, Baracael 5, Soyud 2, Taulava 0, Ighalo 0.
Quarters: 36-22, 60-43, 89-73, 114-108.