ANTIPOLO, Philippines – Phoenix sent defending champion San Miguel crashing to its worst two-game start in four years, scoring a gritty 109-103 win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center here on Sunday, October 12.
Ricci Rivero scattered half of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and added 7 rebounds and 3 assists as the Fuel Masters ended a 10-game skid against the Beermen, with their last win over San Miguel coming in the 2020 edition of the All-Filipino tournament held inside a bubble in Clark, Pampanga.
The game also marked the first head coaching win of former PBA veteran Willy Wilson, who has been tasked to turn around the fortunes of a team that finished last season with an 8-25 record.
“It’s very significant even without talking about the 10-game losing streak. It’s just knowing that we have the ability to beat a champion team like SMB,” said Wilson.
“You kind of get into that rut of, ‘What bad thing is going to happen next?’ So really for the players to actually know that this team is capable, that’s big.”
Phoenix enjoyed a lead as big as 16 points when it mounted a 100-84 cushion midway through the fourth quarter before San Miguel clawed its way back into the game, riding on a 17-5 run capped by a Don Trollano layup to get within 101-105 with under two minutes to play.
But the Fuel Masters survived as Rivero and Evan Nelle canned their free throws down the stretch.
Tyler Tio chimed in 14 points, Kai Ballungay also tallied 14 points to go with 8 rebounds, while Jason Perkins supplied 13 points and 5 rebounds as Phoenix improved to 1-1.
Nelle recorded a near double-double with 9 points and 10 assists.
The Beermen are in uncharted territory as they endured their first-ever 0-2 start in the Philippine Cup in the era of reigning nine-time league MVP June Mar Fajardo, whose steady performance of 19 points, 22 rebounds, and 4 assists went down the drain.
According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, San Miguel lost its first two games of the conference for the first time since the 2021 Governors’ Cup.
Don Trollano backstopped Fajardo with 18 points off the bench, while CJ Perez added 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Earlier, Terrafirma also halted a long losing streak as it won for the first time in six months following its 97-91 upset of NLEX, which dealt the Beermen their first loss of the season at the same venue last Wednesday, October 8.
Rookie JM Bravo stood out with team highs of 18 points and 8 rebounds to steer the Dyip back to the winning track after 11 consecutive losses dating back to last season.
The Road Warriors remained without star guard Robert Bolick, whose father died recently.
The Scores
First game
Terrafirma 97 – Bravo 18, Ahanmisi 14, Hernandez 13, Hanapi 13, Sangalang 11, Paraiso 6, Nonoy 6, Olivario 5, Rivero 4, Zaldivar 3, Garcia 2, Catapusan 2.
NLEX 91 – Bahio 14, Torres 14, Ramirez 13, Policarpio 13, Semerad 12, Alas 7, Valdez 6, Amer 5, Nieto 3, Herndon 3, Marcelo 1, Rodger 0.
Quarters: 24-24, 46-41, 74-62, 97-91.
Second game
Phoenix 109 – Rivero 16, Tio 14, Ballungay 14, Perkins 13, Nelle 10, Caperal 9, Daves 7, Kwekuteye 6, Taha 6, Santos 5, Escandor 3, Jazl 2, Ando 0.
San Miguel 103 – Fajardo 19, Cruz 15, Perez 17, Trollano 16, Lassiter 9, Rosales 9, Brondial 6, Tautuaa 5, Tiongson 5, Miller 0, Cahilig 0.
Quarters: 27-23, 61-51, 82-74, 109-103.
– Rappler.com
