By Jay R. Gotera
MANILA — The San Miguel Beermen squandered a 24-point lead but still had enough firepower to avert a monumental collapse, winning 111-105, in double overtime against the never-say-die Barangay Ginebra Kings in the PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night.
Import Arizona Reid keyed SMB’s fourth win in five games, finishing with 26 points, 16 rebounds and five assists. June Mar Fajardo also churned out a huge double-double for himself with 17 points and 17 rebounds in over 50 minutes of action.
Marcio Lassiter added 17 points, including five three-pointers. Alex Cabagnot chipped in with 16 while Ronald Tubid finished with a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Import Justin Brownlee played his most explosive game for Barangay Ginebra, finishing with 38 points, 22 rebounds and five assists. Unfortunately, his personal output was not enough to prevent the Kings from absorbing their second loss in six games. The loss also snapped Ginebra’s three-game winning streak as the Kings slid into solo fourth in standings, behind still undefeated TNT KaTropa (5-0) and Mahindra (4-1) and San Miguel Beer (4-1).
GlobalPort 126, Meralco 123
Unheralded Anthony Semerad knocked down the go-ahead three-pointer as the GlobalPort Batang Pier squeaked past the Meralco Bolts, 126-123, after two overtime periods.
It was GlobalPort’s first win in five games, allowing the Batang Pier to join Alaska, Blackwater and Star in a four-team logjam at the bottom of the standings.
Meralco fell to a 3-3 win-loss card, good for solo sixth place.
Semerad finished with a career-high 24 points, including six three-pointers, the last of which shattered a 123-all tie with less than 20 seconds left in the second overtime period.
Import Michael Glover paced GlobalPort with 26 points on top of 16 rebounds. Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle added 24 and 15 markers, respectively.
GlobalPort appeared headed to victory late in regulation, but a 6-0 Meralco blast in the final 20 seconds leveled the score at 100-all.
The Batang Pier had another good chance to win the game in the first overtime period, but Pringle's reverse layup went in and out to keep the score tied at 114-all, forcing a second OT.
Import Allen Durham exploded for 55 points for Meralco—but all went for naught.
Only two other Bolts scored in double digits—Bryan Faundo with 12 points and Chris Newsome with 10.
Games Wednesday: NLEX Road Warriors (2-3) vs. Mahindra Enforcers (4-1) and Meralco Bolts (3-3) vs. Blackwater Elite (1-4).
