SMB AVERTS COLLAPSE VS. ROS TO CLOSE IN ON PLAYOFFS INCENTIVE

SAN Miguel fended off a furious Rain or Shine rally in the fourth quarter to come out with a 120-111 win on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup at the Aquilino Q. Pimintel International Convention Center in Cagayan de Oro City.

CJ Perez and Don Trollano buried crucial baskets to weather the storm after the Beermen saw their 25-point lead go down to one point midway in the fourth quarter.

PHOTO: PBA Images

San Miguel stayed at second place with a 7-2 win-loss record with the victory to move closer in clinching the twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.

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Rain or Shine dropped a crucial game in its aspirations for a twice-to-beat, falling to 6-4 to tie Converge at sixth place in the team standings.

A four-pointer by Perez brought SMB’s lead back to double digits, 115-105, with 1:46 left in the game after Rain or Shine came storming back from an 83-58 deficit to close to within 103-102 with still five minutes remaining in the contest.

Things got heated in the final seconds of the ballgame with Chris Ross and Jhonard Clarito getting a technical foul for second motion with 17.7 seconds remaining in the game.

Nocum was also given a technical foul on the next possession for slapping the ball away from Ross.

Perez finished with 33 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, while Trollano added 24 points, while shooting 4 of 5 from three-point range.

Trollano actually started the SMB reply from ROS’s comeback bid with two three-pointers to give the Beermen a 110-102 advantage.

Andrei Caracut had 24 points, his lone four of the game at the end of the third cutting San Miguel’s lead to 93-78. Nocum added 22 for Rain or Shine.

The scores:

San Miguel 120 – Perez 33, Trollano 24, Fajardo 20, Lassiter 16, Tiongson 8, Cruz 6, Ross 4, Brondial 4, Cahilig 3, Tautuaa 2.

Rain or Shine 111 – Caracut 24, Nocum 22, Clarito 17, Datu 12, Santillan 10, Mamuyac 9, Tiongson 7, Asistio 5, Porter 5, Norwood 0.

Quarters: 30-25; 60-43; 93-78; 120-111.

2025-06-07T14:06:30Z