MANILA — The San Miguel Beermen overhauled a 15-point deficit to stun the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 104-102, in overtime in Game 2 of their 2018 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With 3.2 seconds left in overtime, Marcio Lassiter scored the game winner with a tip-in of a missed shot by June Mar Fajardo. Lassiter finished with 25 points, including SMB’s last six points that erased Ginebra’s four-point lead with less than two minutes left. The deadly Fil-Am gunner drilled four three-pointers, eight rebounds, four assists, and three steals in almost 46 minutes.
SMB thus gained a 2-0 lead in their best-of-7 series with Game 3 set Tuesday.
The loss was a bitter one for the Kings who had led for most parts of the game. But poor execution and costly turnovers in the homestretch cost them the game.
Fajardo posted monster numbers of 33 points and 19 rebounds on top of two assists, and two blocks and one steal in 49 minutes as he dominated both ends of the court with the continued absence of Ginebra’s injured big man Greg Slaughter.
Chris Ross and Alex Cabagnot added 13 points apiece while Arwind Santos chipped in 11 points, eight of them in the fourth quarter, including a booming three-pointer that knotted the score at 95-all with 13.4 seconds left, sending the game into overtime after Ginebra’s Devance and Scottie Thompson both missed their shots as time ran out.
The Ginebra loss spoiled an eye-popping performance of new recruit Prince Caperal who recorded a career-high 26 points on 11-of-18 shooting on top of eight rebounds, three assists, and one block in almost 32 minutes as a starter. The former Kia big man also held his own against Fajardo whom he hounded all game long.
Japeth Aguilar led the Kings with 28 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks. Devance finished with 11 points, six rebounds, and four dimes. Thompson and Jervy Cruz added 10 points apiece that all went down the drain.
Game Monday: NLEX Road Warriors vs. Magnolia Hotshots (Game 2 of best-of-7 semifinal series; NLEX leads 1-0).
