SAN Miguel run for a Final Four berth in the EASL Home and Away Season 2 ended Wednesday night as it fell to the Hiroshima Dragonflies, 94-63, in Japan.
Parading Torren Jones as their sole import, the Beermen fell behind early on and never had a chance against the defending B. League champions in the game played before a modest crowd at the Hiroshima Sun Plaza.
Nick Mayo, Ryo Yamazaki, and Keijiro Mitani punished the Beermen with their deadly outside shooting, while import Kerry Blackshear Jr. complemented them with his all-around game of 12 points, 15 rebounds, and nine rebounds in the win that gave the 4-1 Dragonflies the first Final Four ticket in Group A.
Mayo and Mitani finished with 18 each to pace the former B. League team of Gilas Pilipinas stalwart Kai Sotto, as they were a combined 7-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Yamazaki added 11, spiked by three from the three-point area.
The Beermen were without their other import in Jabari Narcis, whose absence the rest of the team failed to fill in.
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Jones came away with a game-high 24 points and 13 rebounds, while June Mar Fajardo was the only other San Miguel player in double figures with 12 and nine boards.
Aside from Narcis, San Miguel was also without Don Trollano, Rodney Brondial, Simon Enciso, and Kris Rosales.
San Miguel was down as early as the first quarter, 30-18, and stared at a 15-point deficit by halftime.
The Beermen remained winless in Group A with a 0-4 slate as they crashed out of the running in the Final Four race for the second straight season.
They will have Hong Kong Eastern (January 15) and Suwon KT Sonicboom (Feb. 12) for their last two opponents at home and on the road, respectively. (RG)
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The scores
Hiroshima (94) - Mayo 18, Mitani 18, Blackshear 12, Nakamura 11, Yamazaki 11, Watanabe 9, Kawata 7, Roberts 5, Ichikawa 3, Kamisawa 0, Takeuchi 0.
San Miguel (63) - Jones 24, Fajardo 12, Tiongson 9, Lassiter 4, Tautuaa 4, Ross 3, Perez 3, Teng 2, Cruz 2, Cahilig 0.
Quarterscores: 30-18; 52-37; 68-51; 94-63.
