SMB nails crucial win

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer brought back the kick in its sagging PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign with a hard-earned 108-104 win over Phoenix last night at the PhilSports Arena.

The Beermen stormed to a 13-point lead in the third then fended off the Fuel Masters’ furious fightback to regain traction at 4-5 despite missing coach Leo Austria (health protocols) and superstar June Mar Fajardo (throat injury).

The defending champions vaulted into the Magic 8 in a tie for seventh with Meralco and TNT after languishing at 10th during their two-game skid.

“Every game now is a knockout game for us and it will play a big factor in our efforts to move up the standings,” said assistant coach Jorge Gallent, who called the shots while Austria was out. “So it’s important we play 48 minutes of  ‘San Miguel basketball’ each time.”

With Fajardo in uniform but still unable to see action, SMB did everything by committee.

Simon Enciso took the primary offensive role, sniping in 20 points spiked by a six-of-10 shooting from beyond the arc, while contributing seven rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Five more Beermen churned in double-digit production – import Devon Scott (18 points plus 14 boards), CJ Perez (16), Marcio Lassiter (14), Mo Tautuaa (12) and Jericho Cruz (11) in this bounceback effort from their back-to-back heartbreakers to Ginebra (97-96) and Magnolia (85-80).

“It’s a team effort. Everybody stepped up,” said Enciso. “Everybody who came in, gave it his all for how many minutes they played and that’s how we won the game.”

Later, Bay Area outclassed Magnolia in a marquee matchup of top contenders, 95-89, to wrest pole position at 9-2 from their victims (8-2).