Sports

Beermen halt Texters, climb to 6th

Nelson Beltran - The Philippine Star

October 21, 2018 | 12:00am

KaTropa’s Terrence Romeo mocks the defense of Arwind Santos of San Miguel in their PBA game at the Calasiao Sports Complex in Pangasinan.

PBA Images

MANILA, Philippines — Kevin Murphy struggled for just 16 points in the first three quarters but exploded for 11 in the last three minutes of the game as San Miguel Beer came from behind to stop TNT KaTropa, 107-96, and move two rungs up to sixth place in the PBA Governors Cup last night.

Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, Arwind Santos and Christian Standhardinger joined forces with Murphy as the Beermen overcame an 11-point deficit in the last seven minutes to turn back the Texters in their Petron Blaze road showdown at the Calasiao Sports Center in Calasiao, Pangasinan.

Murphy was held to nine points, below his average on TNT’s physical defense, but the former Utah Jazz came through in the clutch and even flirted with a near triple-double job with 27 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.

He showed the way as the Beermen unleashed a 22-6 closing run en route to the 11-point triumph that jacked up SMB’s record to 4-4.

The Beermen scored a second straight win while snapping TNT’s three-game run to send the Texters down to joint seventh place with the NLEX Road Warriors at 4-5.

Standhardinger produced his own solid all-around game with 21 markers, 13 boards, two assists, two blocks and one steal, Santos gathered 18 points and five rebounds while Ross and Lassiter combined for 23 markers, 11 boards and six dish-offs.

The Texters actually held sway most of the game only to fade at the finish on bad breaks, including the early exit of RR Pogoy on a sprained ankle.

Pogoy was among the players TNT rotated to defend against Murphy. On top of his efficient defense, Pogoy also put in 21 points and five rebounds.

But Pogoy had to be helped to their bench after twisting his right ankle badly after landing on the foot of Blakely with 4:20 left in the game.

Murphy found Ross free underneath the basket in the ensuing play, and the Beermen seized the lead at 91-90.

Then Murphy and Ross sustained the momentum, with back-to-back treys by the two players capping a decisive 16-2 attack that opened a nine-point lead for SMB at 101-92 with time down to 1:22.

Meanwhile, Alaska Milk and Blackwater slug it out for a piece of the lead while Rain or Shine and Meralco meet in a virtual knockout setto in a crucial twinbill over at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.

The Aces and the Elite clash at 6:45 p.m. with the winner catching up with the Magnolia Hotshots and the Barangay Ginebra Kings at the helm at 7-2.

The victor builds momentum and confidence going to the homestretch of the elims and eventually the finish where the Top Four gain a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.

Earlier, the Elasto Painters (2-5) and the Bolts (3-6) face off at 4:30 p.m. with each side fighting for survival.

The Columbian Dyip’s smashing first win in the tourney coming at the expense of the E-Painters Friday gave the Aces, the Elite and even the Phoenix Fuel Masters a free ride to the quarters.