Game 1 'embarrassment' fired up Beermen, says Austria

MANILA, Philippines — Taking the lessons from their embarrassing loss in Game One of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, the San Miguel Beermen came out in the next meeting with guns blazing.

Alex Cabagnot fired 33 points, posting a new career-high in scoring as five of his other teammates tallied at least 20 to give the Gin Kings a dose of their own medicine in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday night.

“You know, were so sad with what happened last game. We've been humiliated,” head coach Leo Austria said. “This time, we're able to get back, even the series.”

“They came out really furious,” Austria said of his wards. “From the start until the last three minutes, to the point na nate-technical pa ang mga players, which is sana hindi na nangyari uli. But that’s all because of their intensity.”

Arwind Santos and Chris Ross were both thrown out of the game with four minutes still left to play. The former was slapped with a flagrant foul penalty two off a collision with Scottie Thompson, while the latter incurred his second technical for engaging Joe Devance in an altercation.

Interestingly, the victory was nearly similar to how the series opener unraveled last Friday. Points came in bunches, a lead by at least 30 points generated a cushion for the eventual winners, and one cager’s scoring brilliance rubbed off on his teammates.

But Austria would rather not wade through those bits. He said there could be a lot of factors that drove the Game Two narrative such as complacency, failure to react adjustments, or just timing — as he noted that the Beermen were quick to assert their dominance down low via Renaldo Balkman and June Mar Fajardo.

Although Austria, ever the outspoken tactician, seemed swift to contradict all of his initial takes.

“Out-hustled namin sila. And, 'yung intensity nila, kung 100 percent ang intensity namin ngayon, last time it' was 70 percent,” Austria said. “It's just a walkthrough, 'yung first game namin, because we allowed them to execute their play.”

“But tonight you can see it naman, they're just playing just like a championship (team) — which is pang championship talaga 'di ba?” he closed.