Must-win games start for SanMig

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Beer tries to end a four-game losing skid against Talk ‘N Text Friday in the resumption of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen take the floor at 7:30 p.m. against the Tropang Texters who have won their last five games and gunning for playoff berth. Clashing in the first game at 5 p.m. are Alaska and Meralco.

The Bolts have won back-to-back games at the expense of the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados last Friday and Powerade Tigers last Wednesday.

Against the Tigers, guard Mark Cardona fired 25 points while import Champ Oguchi added 22 markers.

Alaska is coming off a heartbreaking 85-80 loss to TNT for a 4-2 card last Saturday in Cagayan de Oro City. The loss snapped a three-game winning run.

“We’re improving,” said Meralco head coach Ryan Gregorio, whose team improved to 2-4. “The team is showing great signs of life after being left for dead after a 0-4 start. Alaska is an elite team. They are always a tough match-up.”

On the other hand, San Miguel Beer is sticking with import David Young after Jason Davis, who arrived recently, failed to impress the coaching staff led by Ato Agustin, as well as management.

“We decided to stick with David Young,” SMB team manager Hector Calma said. “We felt that Jason is not a good fit for us. Actually, he’s only here for try-out.”

With veterans like Alex Cabagnot, Jay Washington, Arwind Santos, Joseph Yeo and former two-time MVP Danny Ildefonso still adjusting with the arrival of rookies Rabeh Al-Hussaini, Noy Baclao and Rey Guevarra, SMB has uncharacteristically dropped four straight games and is in danger of missing the playoffs.

After a 106-94 loss to the Barangay Ginebra Kings last Sunday, the Beermen have to win their last three assignments.

The Tropang Texters’ lone defeat was inflicted by Smart-Gilas Pilipinas last Feb. 25.

TNT shares the lead with the Nationals at 5-1 after B-Meg handed Smart-Gilas its first loss via overtime, 98-90, Wednesday

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B-Meg stops Gilas' win run

MANILA, Philippines – Despite its injury problems, B-Meg Derby Ace showed steely resolve which PJ Simon best typified to become the first team to beat Smart Gilas in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Fighting off cramps in overtime, Simon buried a triple and a jaw-dropping reverse lay-up to help power the Llamados to a 98-90 victory that snapped a two-game slide.

Aside from snapping Gilas’ five-game winning run, B-Meg also revived its playoff bid.

Simon’ last basket gave the Llamados a 91-86 lead with 3:31 left in the extra period.

B-Meg import Shamari Spears, who likely played his last game since his replacement is expected to arrive Friday in former University of Southern Mississippi player Courtney Beasley, led the team in scoring with 26 points and eight rebounds.

Veteran forwards Marc Pingris and Kerby Raymundo, in his third game since missing nearly two conferences, had double-double productions, with the former collecting 18 and 19 rebounds, while the latter added 17 and 12 boards.

Nino Canaleta had 13 markers, highlighted by a big trey that gave B-Meg a 96-90 lead with 53.1 seconds to play in OT.

The victory improved the win-loss record of B-Meg at 3-4, which came at a crucial time with six key players out with injuries, including reigning MVP James Yap (strained right calf), Rafi Reavis (right hand), Jonas Villanueva (sprained right ankle), Don Allado (foot), Jondan Salvador (strained shoulder) and Rico Maierhofer (ACL).

“We just made the big plays in the endgame, we just kept it close,” said B-Meg mentor George Gallent. “Our defensive rotation became better and Shamari came out of the cave and played better. We’re able to go down the post too without the Gilas’ 6-10 import.”

Gallent, of course, is referring to Marcus Douthit, who left midway in the third quarter when he landed on the foot of Pingris and sprained his ankle.

Douthit did not return, thus allowing B-Meg bigmen, particularly Spears and Raymundo, to pound inside the shaded lane. The Llamados actually controlled the boards, 70-49, with 26 offensive boards that gave them 23 second chance points.

FROM SMB TO PETRON

Meanwhile, Petron Corporation is set to make its debut in the next conference as Petron Blaze 100 takes over the San Miguel Beermen in an effort to promote the fuel company’s business, brands and advocacies.

Petron, the country’s largest oil refiner supplying an estimated 40% of the nation’s fuel requirements, is a subsidiary of San Miguel Corporation, the Philippines’ rapidly diversifying food-to-power conglomerate and parent company of San Miguel Brewery, Inc

source : manilabulletin

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SMB virtually out with loss to Kings

MANILA, Philippines – The San Miguel Beermen lost yet another game in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, this time bowing against their sister team, the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 106-92 at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

The Beermen now find themselves at the bottom of the standings with a 1-5 record, something uncanny for a fancied team to fare well in the current PBA conference. After the celebrated PBA trade with Air21, the “younger” Beermen haven’t been the same.

Caguioa and Ginebra import Nate Brumfeld led the charge, placing the Beermen practically out and probably payback for eliminating them in the semi-finals last conference.

A long shot comes in the event that the top three teams, Smart Gilas, Talk ‘N Text and Alaska keep on winning their games and hope that the remaining teams falter in their next assignments.

On the other hand, the Air21 Express finally won a game after the said trade when they hacked out a close 94-92 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the first game. (MB)

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