SMB bucks NLEX,Thornton in 3 OTs

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Beer outlasted NLEX in a match that took three extra periods to finish, bucking Al Thornton’s super explosive 69-point performance to grind out a 131-127 victory and secure an outright playoff berth in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Tyler Wilkerson came through with his own highly productive game with 58 markers while JuneMar Fajardo struck with a decisive seven-point binge in the third OT as the Beermen beat out the Road Warriors in a classic stretched-out showdown and enhanced their bid for a Top Two finish with a 6-3 win-loss record.

“It’s like a championship ball game with both teams refusing to lose. They had their chance to win and we had our chance. Seemingly, experience prevailed,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

“Our guys worked very, very hard for this. It’s almost like from 0-3 going 4-3,” added Austria recalling their record comeback triumph in the recent Philippine Cup finals.

The Beermen went through a wringer against the NLEX side riding high on Thornton’s devastating 69-point game.

Thornton went 26-of-47 from the field and 12-of-13 from the stripe, distinguishing himself as the first player to breach the 60-point mark in the PBA since Askia Jones (60) in 2001.

The NLEX import, a former NBA All-Rookie team awardee, delivered the most explosive individual performance in the local pro league since Swift’s Jay Edwards also fired away 69 during the 1994 Governors Cup.

Rain or Shine struggled at the start but finished with a flurry, blasting Globalport, 116-94, to also clinch an outright quarters entry later in the night.

“It’s good we got a good rhythm in the second half. Now, we need one more win to land in the Top Six. I don’t think we have a chance at the Top Two,” said ROS coach Yeng Guiao.

NLEX fell to 5-5.

Thornton and Wilkerson engaged in a classic shootout, firing away 47 points each in regulation.

The scores:

First Game

SAN MIGUEL 131 – Wilkerson 58, Cabagnot 20, Fajardo 18, Santos 15, Lassiter 11, Ross 7, Semerad 2, De Ocampo 0, Espinas 0, Araña 0.

NLEX 127 – Thornton 69, Anthony 24, Taulava 13, Villanueva E. 6, Villanueva J. 6, Alas 3, Borboran 3, Cardona 3, Apinan 0, Enciso 0, Lanete 0, Reyes R. 0.

Quarterscores: 30-16, 52-45, 80-73, 99-99, 108-108, 118-118, 131-127

Second Game

RAIN OR SHINE 116 – Chan 18, Charlo 18, Lee 12, Cruz 11, Tiu 10, Almazan 9, Quiñahan 9, Ahanmisi 8, Belga 7, Norwood 4, Nimes 3, Trollano 3, Ibañes 2, Ponferada 2.

GLOBALPORT 94 – Taggart 32, Romeo 19, Uyloan 12, Jensen 7, Fortuna 5, Washington 5, Mamaril 4, Yeo 4, Isip 2, Kramer 2, Taha 2.

Quarterscores: 21-22, 44-49, 79-70, 116-94