SMB will go for the jugular in Game 3 on Sunday.
The San Miguel Beermen pulled off a 106-96 win against the Brgy. Ginebra San Miguel to go up 2-0 in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Friday.
Bennie Boatwright went off with 38 points, to go along with nine rebounds and two assists, as the Beermen moved on the cusp of a trip to the Finals.
June Mar Fajardo also had career-high six blocks on top of 17 points and 14 rebounds, while CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter combined for 33 points in the win at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Boatwright hit a dagger of a triple with under two minutes left to give San Miguel a 99-93 cushion. The American reinforcement and Fajardo would shut the door on the Gin Kings with a pair of freebies.
“Everybody just played as a unit,” said SMB coach Jorge Gallent.
Ginebra kept in step with the Beermen the entire way. Early in the fourth period, the Gin Kings bunched together five straight points to make things interesting, 83-all.
It was a nip-and-tuck contest from there, but the Gin Kings just couldn’t get over the hump as Lassiter, Boatwright, Fajardo, and Perez conspired in the final minutes to run away with the victory.
Jamie Malonzo paced Ginebra with 27 points on 6-of-8 shooting from downtown. He also had eight rebounds, four assists, two steals, and a block.
Tony Bishop added 25 points and nine boards, while Maverick Ahanmisi finished with 13 points.
Game 3 of the best-of-five semifinals series is set on Sunday at the same venue.