SMB trims Sta. Lucia, regains lead

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Beer, stopped by Barangay Ginebra the last time out, got back on track quickly, repulsing Sta. Lucia Realty, 91-84, in their PBA Fiesta Conference road game at the Ormoc Astrodome in Ormoc, Leyte last night.

The Beermen reaffirmed their mastery of the Realtors, hacking out the seven-point win to regain the solo lead in the standings at 11-2.

Suffering another three-game slump, the Realtors slid to joint seventh place with the Coca-Cola Tigers on their identical 4-8 win-loss cards.

Sta. Lucia lost its last three games by an average margin of 12.6 points after dealing Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes to Talk n Text.

The Realtors engaged the Beermen in a battle in the first three quarters before fading away in the payoff period.

The Beermen built a 79-65 lead on a 10-to-nothing opening run in the fourth canto then fended off a little fightback by the Realtors at the finish.

Veteran point guard Olsen Racela knocked in a clutch jumper, settling the outcome of the game at 90-84 with 14 ticks left to play.

Gabe Freeman tossed in 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds with Jay Washington and Jonas Villanueva combining for 28 points for the Beermen who kept a clean slate versus the Realtors in their head-on games in the last three conferences.

Anthony Johnson had 30 points for the losing team in the Ormoc stop of the Phoenix Fuel PBA on Tour.

The prolific Sta. Lucia import scattered 15 points in the first half before being held down to a single free throw in the first 18 minutes of the final half.

The Beermen had pulled away when Johnson regained his touch, making 14 points in the last six minutes of play.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra takes on Rain or Shine at the resumption of play at the Araneta Coliseum today, looking to stay within striking distance of San Miguel and Talk n Text.

Coca-Cola and Barako Energy Coffee collide in the other game with both out to check an alarming skid.

The Tigers and the Coffee Masters square off at 4 p.m. then the Kings and the Elasto Painters mix it up at 6:30 p.m.