Clark, Perez shut door on NLEX’s twice-to-beat hopes, lift SMB to eighth win

March 16 ------ San Miguel denied NLEX of a twice-to-beat quarterfinal incentive, 120-106, in the PBA Governors’ Cup, Wednesday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig. Cameron Clark and CJ Perez joined hands in the Beermen’s finishing kick to put down once and for all the Road Warriors, who got to within just five, 104-109, heading into the last three minutes after being down by as much as 21.

Head coach Jorge Gallent was proud to see his wards come out triumphant as they proved that winning without June Mar Fajardo is doable. “They knew June Mar was injured and they just stepped up, which is good,” said the veteran mentor as the six-time league MVP is out for 6-8 weeks due to an MCL injury. “They learned how to win and how to play without the big boy.”

Clark proved to be a huge problem for his former team as he finished with a career-high 45 points and 17 rebounds to lead San Miguel. “It’s cool. I try not to get in all that. We just knew it was a big game for us to win. Yeah, it’s my old team but I just treated it like any other game. Just another game for us that we needed to win,” said the 31-year-old.

Perez produced 23 points, while bench guys Jericho Cruz and Allyn Bulanadi supplied 16 and 14 markers, respectively, for the Beermen, who welcomed back Terrence Romeo from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for months. “I’m just happy he’s back. Everybody’s happy that Terrence is back. I just hope he’s fully, fully recovered so that he can get his game back before the playoffs,” said Gallent as Romeo is still groping for form.

Now at 8-2, San Miguel will look to end the eliminations triumphantly when it takes on the also-ran Rain or Shine on Friday in the same venue. The loss, meanwhile, was crushing for NLEX, who fell to no. 6 after figuring in a three-way tie at no. 4 with Meralco and Magnolia. Upon the application of the quotient tiebreak, the Bolts emerged No. 4 (+18), the Hotshots fifth (+14), and the Road Warriors at sixth (-32). And so, Meralco and Magnolia will take on one another in the quarters, with the perennial conference contenders owning the twice-to-beat edge.

Wayne Selden Jr. led NLEX with 32 points while Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser backed him up with a season-high 29 points and 15 rebounds in the defeat.

The Scores:

San Miguel 120 – Clark 45, Perez 23, Cruz 16, Bulanadi 14, Enciso 8, Lassiter 8, Manuel 4, Tautuaa 2, Ross 0, Romeo 0, Brondial 0.

NLEX 106 – Selden Jr. 32, Ganuelas-Rosser 29, Trollano 14, Anthony 8, Semerad 6, Miranda 5, Rosales 5, Alas 5, Nieto 2.

Quarterscores: 28-19, 61-47, 88-75, 120-106

Source: tiebreakertimes.com

Editor's note:

In the first game, TNT mercilessly booted out NorthPort, 134-110.Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Roger Pogoy powered the Tropang Giga’s second-quarter explosion, combining for 31 of the team’s 47 points for a commanding 66-43 halftime lead that turned the game completely in their favor. Hollis-Jefferson top-scored for the Tropa with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 4 assists. Pogoy fired 22 points and 7 boards. Calvin Oftana produced 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists off the bench, while Kelly Williams chimed in 12 markers and 6 caroms