MANILA, Philippines – Game 1 of the highly-anticipated best-of-five semifinal series between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup certainly lived up to its hype.
PBA fans were treated to a thrilling, nip-and-tuck showdown between the two star-studded teams, where San Miguel drew first blood with a 92-90 escape.
As both squads face off anew in Game 2 on Friday, January 26, San Miguel shoots for a commanding 2-0 lead, while Ginebra aims for an equalizer.
With their high-scoring import Bennie Boatwright held to just 23 points, the powerhouse Beermen got a huge lift from CJ Perez, who sizzled for a conference-high 26 points.
As expected, reigning PBA MVP June Mar Fajardo proved to be a force to be reckoned with, putting up a near double-double of 18 points and 9 rebounds.
After coming up with his lowest scoring output in the PBA, look for Boatwright, who averaged 40.5 points in his first four games in a Beermen uniform, to regain his offensive touch in Game 2.
Also count on Perez and Fajardo to ride on their hot momentum as San Miguel tries to move on the cusp of the Commissioner’s Cup finals.
The Beermen are also likely to receive additional firepower in Game 2 as Terrence Romeo is expected to return after missing the series opener due to a left ankle sprain.
For Ginebra, expect import Tony Bishop to redeem himself after being limited to 20 points on a lowly 6-of-17 shooting.
Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings in scoring with 21 points, will also look to bounce back and atone for his crucial Game 1 blunder, where he failed to secure a pass from Scottie Thompson in the final possession.
Game time is 4 pm. – Rappler.com