Still no stopping the San Miguel Beer juggernaut.
Fending off the furious endgame rally of Magnolia, the league-leading Beermen scooped up a streak-extending 98-91 win in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
CJ Perez and veteran Chris Ross made sure SMB got a strong finishing kick after losing an early 20-point lead, knocking down big-time triples that extinguished Magnolia's threat and kept their record spotless at eight games running.
Perez held sway as the Beermen's top gunner and dropped 25 capped by a booming trey that stretched their lead to 98-89 with 27.9 seconds left.
Ross, who hasn't scored higher than six prior, showed a more active offensive game and produced his conference-high 15, which was highlighted by a pair of three-pointers in the 16-11 closing exchange.
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By reasserting their mastery of Magnolia, a team they vanquished in the previous Commissioner's Cup finals, coach Jorge Gallent and his troops posted the first 8-0 start since TNT went undefeated for 13 games back in the 2014 Commissioner's Cup.
Along the way, the Beermen snapped the four-game roll of the Hotshots, sending them down one spot to joint third with NLEX at 5-3 behind new No. 2 Barangay Ginebra (6-3).
Veteran Marcio Lassiter (12 points, all from beyond the arc) and Mo Tautuaa (10) were also solid as June Mar Fajardo was held to nine points but with seven rebounds and seven assists.
Paul Lee, with 23 spiked by nine treys, Aris Dionisio, with 22, and Ian Sangalang, with 17, led the Hotshots, who initially had difficulty playing without Jio Jalalon (meniscus injury) that they fell behind, 14-34, in the second canto.
The Hotshots picked it up defensively in the second half and even gave themselves a legit chance for a steal before Ross and Perez delivered the coup de grace. (OL)
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The Scores:
SAN MIGUEL 98 - Perez 25, Ross 15, Lassiter 12, Tautuaa 10, Fajardo 9, Brondial 9, Cruz 9, Romeo 6, Trollano 3, Manuel 0.
MAGNOLIA 91- Lee 23, Dionisio 22, Sangalang 17, Mendoza 8, Barroca 9, Laput 6, Tratter 5,Dela Rosa 1, Escoto 0, Balanza 0, Eriobu 0, Abueva 0.
QUARTERS: 24-11, 51-40, 70-64, 98-91
