PBA: San Miguel Beermen lose Lassiter but top San Mig Coffee Mixers

Reggie Williams missed two crucial freethrows with five seconds remaining, before atoning for his miscue with a key steal to give the San Miguel Beermen a 92-90 victory over the San Mig Coffee Mixers, Sunday at the MOA Arena, in the 2014 PBA Governors Cup.

The Beermen moved over .500 to 2-1, while the Mixers evened their record at 1-1.

SMB worked off Williams' isolation plays, and the import did not disappoint, hitting a long banker of a triple with Marc Pingris in his face for a five-point lead with 1:41 remaining in the game, 88-83. San Mig Coffee found Joe Devance for a quick basket off a timeout, but Chris Ross drove in, only to dish to a wide open Fajardo at the other end. With less than a minute remaining, Simon banked another one in, cutting the lead to three.

On the ensuing play, Williams missed on a stepback, but Arwind Santos was there for the offensive board. With 13.7 seconds remaining, Fajardo was sent to the line where he made both, making it a five-point game anew. Off another timeout, San Mig Coffee went to James Yap for a triple, making the difference between the teams two anew. To stop the clock, the Mixers quickly sent Williams to the line where he missed both. Off the San Mig Coffee break though, the SMB import was able to get a key steal, before dribbling the ball away as time expired.

"Williams really pushed himself minutes wise; he just kept battling," said SMB team consultant Todd Purves. "He takes good care of his body before and after games. It feels good when you end up on top, but we have a very long way to go."

The two teams matched each other offensively in the first, as James Yap found his stroke at the start of the game. Fajardo was the anchor for the Beermen at the other end, as no team could pull away. On the final possession of the first, the Mixers went to Pingris at the post, giving San Mig a two-point advantage, 21-19.

Mark Barroca started humming from midrange at the start of the second, while Marqus Blakely became a recipient of key passes inside. The Beermen struggled with early turnovers in the paint, while committing fouls at the other end, sending the Mixers to the line. Two from Blakely with a litte over nine minutes left made it a six-point game, but better passing had SMB creeping within two, 29-28, after makes from Williams and Lutz.

Soon enough, the Beermen became the ones finding their way to the line, but SMC located the open man in half court sets when not pushing the ball for fastbreak points. With four and a half minutes remaining, the Mixers were able to build a seven-point spread, 39-32.

The Beermen found renewed confidence in the dying minutes of the half as June Mar Fajardo found his way back into the game. The final two minutes slowed down due to the two teams being in penalty though, leading to a free throw shooting contest. On SMB's final play, a swarm of defenders on Fajardo led to a cut and a finish by Sol Mercado, slicing the deficit to four at the half, 44-40.

A Ronald Tubid corner triple with 2:11 remaining in the third pushed the Beermen ahead, 59-58, but solid low post play re-established the Mixers' lead. A Blakely spin move on Ronald Tubid with 58.3 seconds on the clock made it a six-point game, before SMB fed Fajardo anew. The big man split, while Marc Pingris found some space for a one-hander in the shaded lane, giving San Mig Coffee a 67-60 lead heading into the fourth.

The Beermen kept pushing the ball for more easy baskets in the fourth, before Williams' triples gave SMB a 77-75 advantage. The Mixers tried to force the issue inside, as Ross came up with a steal and a layup to make it a two-possession game. Simon kept the Mixers alive with midrange floaters, as Blakely trooped to the line to tie the game at 81-all. With San Mig Coffee in early foul trouble, Reggie Williams earned another trip at the line with three minutes and change remaining, where he split for the one-point edge.

A Lutz triple canceled out a Pingris make, as Fajardo secured the all-important defensive boards for the Beermen.

In the first period, swingman Marcio Lassiter suffered a large gash on his shin, while diving for a loose ball. He left the game and did not return. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

SAN MIGUEL BEER 92 - Williams 29, Fajardo 18, Ross 15, Santos 13, Tubid 6, Lutz 6, Mercado 3, Kramer 2, Maierhofer 0, Duncil 0, Lassiter 0, Chua 0

SAN MIG COFFEE 90 - Blakely 31, Barroca 13, Pingris 12, Yap 11, Devance 8, Simon 8, Reavis 5, Mallari 2, Maliksi 0, Sangalang 0, Melton 0

Quarter scoring: 19-21, 40-44, 60-67, 92-90