Beermen pull thru in classic double OT

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel pounced on the absence of ejected TNT KaTropa import Terrence Jones in winning time to net a 127-125 double-overtime escape act and tie the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals series at 1-1 last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

June Mar Fajardo hit two free throws and Chris Ross scored the insurance layup as the Beermen completed the hard-earned equalizer over a KaTropa squad that played without Jones from the last 21 seconds of the first extension on. 

Jones incurred his second technical of the night for elbowing Chris Ross and watched the wild finish of Game 2 in the dugout.

“Wow, fantastic game,” said SMB coach Leo Austria, whose wards squandered a 17-point lead and needed to force extension twice with a tying trey from Terrence Romeo at the end of regulation and the levelling lay-up from Alex Cabagnot in the first OT.

“Our players didn’t give up. We tied the game twice and forced their import out of the game. I think when their import was thrown out, that’s the key. I commend the players for continuing to fight and they’re championship experience came in handy,” added Austria.

Even with Jones out of the picture, TNT still forced SMB to play catch-up in the second extension. Troy Rosario’s charities gave the KaTropa a 121-120 cushion but SMB wrested the upperhand on splits by Fajardo and Arwind Santos and a bucket by Chris McCulllough, 122-121. 

Jayson Castro’s split knotted it at 122 before Fajardo, Chris Ross and McCullough starred in a 5-3 windup to seal it. Castro had two chances to steal it for TNT but both three-point attempts missed the mark.

McCullough (32 points),  Romeo (29),  Ross (25) and Cabagnot (19) led the offensive parade in SMB’s rebound victory from its 96-109 loss in Game 1.

Jones finished with 28 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists before his ejection as Rosario filled in with a career-high 34 spiked by eight triples and Castro chipped in 27.

The scores:

San Miguel 127 – McCullough 32, Romeo 29, Ross 25, Cabagnot 19, Fajardo 12, Standhardinger 7, Pessumal 2, Santos 1, Rosser 0.

TNT 125 – Rosario 34, Jones 28, Castro 27, Pogoy 17, Trollano 14, Heruela 5, Washington 0, Taha 0.

Quarterscores: 32-25, 59-45, 84-77, 106-106 (reg.), 114-114 (1st OT), 127-125 (2nd OT)