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[av_heading heading=’Beermen takes Game 5 of PBA Comm’s Cup ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Saturday, July 1, 2017
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MANILA – San Miguel Beermen moved closer to clinching the 2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown after a come-from-behind 111-102 win over TNT Katropa in Game 5 of the best-of-seven finals last night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Alex Cabagnot led the way with 28 points, including four three-point conversions, for the Beermen which can capture its second consecutive title this season in Game 6 tomorrow.
Arwind Santos added 27 markers while import Charles Rhodes and Marcio Lassiter contributed 20 and 17 points, respectively, for the Beermen.
San Miguel is moving closer to its Grand Slam aim.
Down by as much as 15 points at the half, the Beermen opened the third quarter with an 11-0 run behind Santos and Rhodes to snatch the lead at 68-67. Katropa quickly regained the lead but the Beermen, behind Chris Ross, moved up anew at 82-79.
Beermen continued its run early in the fourth quarter to widen the lead to 88-81 on a Lassiter basket. Katropa was able to cut it to 88-85 but the Beermen pulled away anew to 98-88 on three straight baskets by Cabagnot.
Katropa had its last push to come to within 107-102 on hits by Jayson Castro and Jeth Troy Rosario but a layup by Santos followed by free throws by Cabagnot sealed the win for Beermen.
“I thought we were going to lose after the first half but they just refused to lose,” said Beermen head coach Leo Austria. “That’s the character we got in our last four championships.”
Ranidel de Ocampo finished with 19 points, all coming in the first half, while Kris Rosales added 16 markers for Katropa, which is hoping to force a do-or-die Game 7 next Wednesday.
BOX SCORE:
SAN MIGUEL 111 – Cabagnot 28, Santos 27, Rhodes 20, Lassiter 17, Ross 10, Fajardo 9, De Ocampo 0, Espinas 0, Tubid 0, Semerad 0, Heruela 0.
TNT 102 – De Ocampo 19, Rosales 16, Smith 15, Castro 12, Rosario 12, Semerad 12, Reyes 6, Garcia 3, Tautuaa 3, Pogoy 2, Williams 2, Nuyles 0.
Quarterscores: 29-26, 61-46, 82-79, 111-102./PN
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