It seemed that Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig’s debut appearances for the San Miguel Beermen would be forgettable... until they weren't.
Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig wasted no time proving their worth for the defending champions San Miguel Beermen.
The two newcomers contributed in the biggest way possible to help pull off a 107-104 Beermen escape over the Phoenix Fuel Masters for their first win in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup.
[ALSO READ: PBA: Clutch Marcio Lassiter completes San Miguel’s 16-point comeback vs Phoenix]
Part of the trade that sent Vic Manuel and Terrence Romeo to Terrafirma Dyip, both Tiongson and Cahilig came to San Miguel’s rescue when the game was hanging in the balance.
Tiongson set-up the clutch Marcio Lassiter game-winning baseline jumper with 2.9 seconds left that put the Beermen in the driver's seat at 105-104.
It was also his triple with 3:47 seconds left that tied the game at 98-all as the 33-year-old guard finished with eight points and five assists in his San Miguel debut.
But all of that will not be possible without Cahilig, who emerged as the game’s X-factor.
The former Ateneo Blue Eagle scored all of his 12 points in the final frame built on four threes as the Beermen outscored Phoenix, 36-24, to complete the comeback.
Tiongson and Cahilig’s offensive production were part of a 49-point bench scoring for the Beermen--making up for a disastrous third frame that saw them give up 31 points to Phoenix.
"I just told them before the game, just play your game when you were in Terrafirma and you will do okay here [at San Miguel]," SMB head coach Jorge Gallent said in the post-game press conference.
CJay Perez led San Miguel with 18 points while import Quincy Miller had a quiet 14-point, 10-rebound double-double.
His counterpart in Donovan Smith exploded for 37 points, including 24 in the first half, but it went to naught as Phoenix now stumbled to a third-straight loss.