The San Miguel Beermen came through with their second win despite surrendering a 14-point lead to the TNT Tropang Giga in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup on Sunday, March 17.
San Miguel hung tough in crunch time as it edged TNT, 91-89, to string back-to-back wins in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center Antipolo on Sunday, March 17.
The Beermen squandered a 14-point lead, 55-41, early in the third but withstood a ferocious fightback from the Tropang Giga from there to sustain their strong start to the conference.
June Mar Fajardo led San Miguel with a double-double of 15 points and 17 boards while Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano and Marcio Lassiter each produced 12 points.
Veterans Jason Castro (20 points and six assists) and Kelly Williams (14 points) carried the fight for TNT in the last two quarters as they repeatedly made the contest close, the last at 89-90 on a couple of split free throws by Williams with 25.5 to go.
But Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser bungled a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer as the Tropang Giga surrendered their second loss in four games to slip for eighth.
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The Beermen launched a 27-16 bomb in the second to build a 52-39 separation at the half.
But Williams, Castro and Calvin Oftana willed TNT in the third as they combined for 22 of the squad's 31 points in the frame.
Kim Aurin capped the Tropang Giga's third quarter assault for a 70-72 count at the end of the period before opening the fourth with a layup to force the standoff.
Cruz retaliated for San Miguel as he poured all but two of his total-point output in the decider, including a split from the free throw line with 15.4 ticks remaining that sealed the win.
TNT, which also drew 15 points from RR Pogoy, 14 from Oftana and 10 from Aurin, failed to follow up on its victory over Terrafirma the last time out.