PBA: San Miguel staves off Ginebra comeback, moves on cusp of PH Cup finals

San Miguel nearly wasted a 17-point lead, but fought off a Barangay Ginebra comeback to complete a 115-109 win in Game 5 of PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday.

The Beermen led by as many as 17 points but suddenly found themselves in the middle of a Gin Kings rally in the fourth led by RJ Abarrientos. 

The defending champions, though, showed poise in the endgame to still come out victorious, thanks to a crucial pair of free throws from June Mar Fajardo.

Five Beermen reached double-digit scoring with June Mar Fajardo pouring 21 points and 11 rebounds to break out of his scoring slump after being limited to less than 10 points the past two games. 

CJ Perez churned out 20 markers, including 16 in the first half, while veterans Mo Tautuaa and Marcio Lassiter chipped in 18 and 16 points, respectively. Don Trollano sparked the bench barrage with 13 points. 

With the escape, San Miguel moved to within a win from returning to the finals and setting up a championship rematch against TNT.

But despite moving a step closer to another finals run, San Miguel isn’t banking on an easy close-out game come Game 6 on Friday, especially with how Ginebra displayed its 'Never Say Die' spirit today. 

San Miguel torched Ginebra with six triples in the third with Chris Ross knocking down three of those as the reigning champions surged to a 90-78 cushion. 

Lassiter then caught fire in the fourth, hitting three three-pointers of his own to make it a 107-90 lead.

But Ginebra just refused to give up, leaning on RJ Abarrientos and some of its bench players to mount the comeback. 

Raymond Aguilar, who wasn't fielded in the first three quarters, fired a triple while Jayson David scored on a putback tip to bring Ginebra within seven, 111-104. 

Scottie Thompson then converted a layup off his own rebound, but the biggest basket came from Abarrientos, whose stepback triple against the extended arm of Trollano saw Ginebra just in a two-point hole, 111-109, with 13.4 seconds left. 

Fajardo then sank two free throws for a 113-109 lead. Ginebra had the chance to make a last-gasp attempt from downtown, but Abarrientos' costly turnover in the last play allowed San Miguel to take the win. 

Thompson paced Ginebra with 20 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and block while Abarrientos and Stephen Holt each chipped in 18 and 17 markers. 

The scores:
San Miguel 115 - Fajardo 21, Perez 20, Tautuaa 18, Lassiter 16, Trollano 13, Ross 9, Cruz 8, Brondial 5, Cahilig 5, Tiongson 0, Rosales 0.

Ginebra 109 - Thompson 20, Abarrientos 18, Holt 17, J. Aguilar 16, Cu 8, Gray 8, David 7, R. Aguilar 6, Torres 5, Pinto 3, Rosario 1.

Quarters: 25-26, 58-49, 90-78, 115-109.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News