PBA PH CUP FINALS: Perez waxes hot late, lifts SMB over TNT in Game 3

Sports

CJ PEREZ hit one big shot after another ithat propelled the San Miguel Beermen to a 95-89 win over the TNT Tropang 5G in Game 3 of the 50th PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Sunday night, Jan. 25, at the MOA Arena.

Perez came up with a critical seven-point binge inside the final minute of the tightly fought contest that saw the two squads build double-digit leads before figuring in a nip-and-tuck duel at the finish.

At the end, the Beermen emerged victorious, posting a second straight win in the best-of-seven series to take a crucial 2-1 lead. TNT won Game 1, 96-91, before San Miguel evened the series with a 111-92 victory in Game 2.

TNT appeared to have taken control in the dying moments of Game 3 when it staged a 10-0 attack to build an 89-86 lead going into the final minute.

Perez then struck hard.

The shifty player dropped a booming four-pointer with 41 seconds left and after an empty play by TNT, he sank another big shot–a three-pointer that gave San Miguel a four-point cushion.

Marcio Lassiter iced the San Miguel win with two free throws.

Perez scored just three points in the opening period and was held scoreless in the middle periods before exploding for 17 in the final stanza for a 20-point performance.

Don Trollano added 19 points while June Mar Fajardo, Mo Tautuaa, and Lassiter added 16, 14, and 10, respectively.

Calvin Oftana scored 25 points, Jordan Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser each had 15, while Rey Nambatac tallied 14 for TNT, which will try to prevent San Miguel from surging to a crucial 3-1 lead when they clash again on Wednesday’s Game 4.

THE SCORES:

SAN MIGUEL (95) - Perez 20, Trollano 19, Fajardo 16, Tautuaa 14, Lassiter 10, Cruz 8, Brondial 4, Teng 4, Ross 0, Tiongson 0.

TNT (89) - Oftana 25, Heading 15, Rosser 15, Nambatac 12, Galinato 6, Khobuntin 5, Erram 4, Pogoy 4, Enciso 3, Williams 0, Jalalon 0.QUARTERSCORES: 33-19, 44-50, 67-72, 95-89.(CCM)