SAN Miguel Beer is starting to gain some steam.
Tyler Wilkerson was once again spectacular, scoring a game-high 35 points and pulling down 17 rebounds to lead the Beermen to a 108-96 thumping of Blackwater for their second straight win in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup Wednesday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Reigning Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo added 20 points and seven rebounds.
After a sorry loss in its initial assignment, San Miguel Beer has racked up two wins in a row.
“It’s good to see that we’re playing really well again and our import is really helping us a lot,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “We’re able to get a lead in the second quarter and we gained more confidence.”
The Beermen are now tied with the Alaska Aces for third place, while Blackwater, after starting out at 2-1, slipped to 2-3 after this second straight setback.
Following a tight first quarter, San Miguel slowly but surely gained ground behind a significant run to close the first half. Back-to-back triples from Wilkerson and a lay-up from Fajardo produced an 8-0 run that gave the Beermen their first double-digit lead, 41-31, late in the second half to wrest control of the contest. At the half, their lead was chopped a bit to 46-39.
The Beermen picked up from where they left off as they posted a 14-3 run right out of the dugout for a comfortable 18-point cushion, 60-42, at the 7:40 mark of the third.
The Beermen upped their lead to 22, 69-47, on an alley-hoop play by Wilkerson on a Fajardo pass.
It was practically game over from there for the Elite, who was never in the game following that huge run in the third quarter.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 108—Wilkerson 35, Fajardo 20, Cabagnot 13, Lassiter 11, Santos 9, Espinas 6, Lutz 4, Arana 2, Heruela 2, Mabulac 2, Reyes 2, Ross 2, De Ocampo 0, Semerad 0.
BLACKWATER 96—Erram 16, Lastimosa 16, Cervantes 12, Rhett 12, Reyes 11, Dela Cruz 10, Gamalinda 9, Tiongson 6, Sena 2, Vosotros 2, Golla 0.
Quarters: 18-17, 46-39, 80-57, 108-96
Games Friday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. NLEX
7 p.m. – Alaska vs. Phoenix Fuel