PBA

San Miguel ties series with TNT, forces do-or-die Game 7

Fighting for their survival, the San Miguel Beermen asserted their dominance early against the TNT Tropang Giga to walk off with a 103-90 victory in Game 6 of their best-of-seven semifinal series in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup on Friday.

Big man Mo Tautuaa dominated the paint, carving out 24 points and five rebounds while Marcio Lassiter chipped in 19 markers, including five triples, to go along with five boards, three assists, and four steals.

Arwind Santos and June Mar Fajardo added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

The Beermen were quick to heat things up after building a 53-38 halftime lead built on impressive seven triples made while also outrebounding TNT, 30-20.

Of those seven three-pointers, Lassiter buried four to collect 14 points at the break for the Beermen, whose defense forced TNT starters to produce only 11 markers combined in the first two quarters.

TNT was also dealt tough blows in third period when Glenn Khobuntin was ejected from the ballgame after incurring two technical fouls. RR Pogoy, meanwhile, was whistled for his fifth personal foul at the 2:54 mark, forcing head coach Chot Reyes to sit him out for the remainder of the frame until early fourth quarter.

Beermen stretched their lead to 24, 86-62, to conclude the penultimate period.

The Tropang Giga, though, had a surge in the payoff period, cutting SMB’s lead to only 10 after they detonated for a 26-12 rampage, 88-98, capped by a three-point play opportunity by Pogoy.

But they could only come as close as that as the Beermen held them off to close out Game 6 in their favor.

TNT was led by veterans Ryan Reyes and Jayson Castro, who each poured in 16 points off the bench.

"Experience is number one. In this kind of situation, we know what to do and we know how to lose and win the game," said SMB head coach Leo Austria on what he thinks is his team's edge over TNT that led to their Game 6 victory.

"We know that this is a do-or-die for us and luckily, we had a good start and we're able to sustain our energy."

The winner-take-all Game 7 is slated for Sunday, October 17, at 4:35 p.m.

The scores:

San Miguel 103 - Tautuaa 24, Lassiter 19, Romeo 16, Santos 13, Fajardo 11, Cabagnot 9, Perez 8, Ross 3, Pessumal 0, Gamalinda 0,

TNT 90 - Castro 16, Reyes 16, Erram 11, Rosario 10, M. Williams 9, Heruela 9, Montalbo 6, Pogoy 6, K. Williams 5, Khobuntin 2, Exciminano 0, Alejandro 0, Marcelo 0

Quarterscores: 27-21, 53-38, 86-62, 103-90

—JMB, GMA News