Timeless Taulava lifts San Miguel over Indonesia for ABL crown

Reigning MVP Asi Taulava scored 19 points to lift the San Miguel Beermen over the Indonesia Warriors, 70-55, in game three of the Asean Basketball League Finals, Wednesday at Mahaka Square, Indonesia, to complete a sweep of the series.

It was apt revenge for the Beermen, as they had been drubbed in their maiden season last year by this same team, losing 2-1 back when it was just a best-of-three series.

Chris Banchero, one of the holdovers from that incarnation of the San Miguel team, was named Finals MVP.

San Miguel led early, as buckets from Brian Williams and Paolo Hubalde gave the Beermen a 6-1 lead at the 7:26 mark of the first period.

Consecutive hits from Mario Wuysang and Stanley Pringle finally gave Indonesia a four-point lead at the 5:09 mark, 10-6, but Asi Taulava and Chris Banchero took it back to tie the game with 2:44 remaining in the first, 10-all. Makes from Banchero and Fortuna then ended the period with the Beermen ahead, 14-10.

Back-to-back baskets by Chris Daniels early in the second quarter squared things 14-all, but Val Acuna and Eric Menk re-erected a four-point advantage. John Smith cut the lead to one with a basket from deep, but another basket from Acuna and a split from Justin Williams had SMB ahead, 21-17, with 5:26 remaining.

Wuysang tried to keep Indonesia in it with another timely trey, before a Banchero make was canceled out by free throws from Thomas.

Baskets from Banchero and Taulava then kept the Beermen on top after a Pringle split from the line at the 2:41 mark, 27-23.

San Miguel managed to sustain its advantage until the end of the half, with Brian Williams sinking an open jumper with nine seconds remaining to make it a six-point cushion, 33-27.

The Warriors shot an atrocious 9-of-40 after two periods for a 23 percent shooting clip, while San Miguel was a steady 16-of-36 for 44 percent. This made up for the Beermen's 0-of-7 clip from beyond the arc, while the home team knocked down 3-of-16 tries from deep.

SMB barely edged Indonesia in the rebounds department, 24-21 and in assists, 6-4.

San Miguel pounded the paint with 24 points, while limiting Indonesia to only eight. Asi Taulava paced SMB with 10 points, while Chris Banchero and Brian WIlliams had eight and six, respectively.

Mario Wuysang led the Warriors with 10 points, while Chris Daniels and Stanley Pringle combined for 11.

After the break, San Miguel's lead ballooned to nine after a three by Leo Avenido and free throws from Taulava, 44-35.

The Warriors were able to cut the lead down to six after a Pringle freethrow and a Muysang make, but seven straight from Acuna, Taulava, and Justin Williams capped a 7-1 run to give SMB a 51-39 lead with only 2:03 remaining in the third. The Warriors never got the chance to cut the lead to single digits again though, as the Beermen entered the final period with a 53-43 advantage.

After Steve Thomas cut the lead to nine with 9:38 remaining, the Beermen went on to have an 8-3 run, capped by an Avenido trey at the 6:48 mark, 61-46. Four straight points from former PBA import Justin Williams then gave SMB an insurmountable 17-point lead with just 4:34 left before the final buzzer.

A Mario Wuysang basket with 11 seconds to go settled the score at 70-55.

PBA veteran Taulava had six rebounds and three assists to complement his 19-point outing. Last season's MVP Leo Avenido and Fil-Italian Chris Banchero had 10 points each, while former UE Red Warrior Val Acuna had nine.

With Filipino point guard Jerick Canada out with an injury, Indonesia leaned on Mario Wuysang for 21 points. Chris Daniels had 15 on a 7-of-20 shooting clip, but he added 19 rebounds. Stanley Pringle managed just 11, as Indonesia had only five players scoring. - Renee Avena Fopalan/AMD, GMA News