SMB dominates TNT in Game 2, ties Finals series

Defending champion San Miguel Beer blew out TNT, 111-92, in Game 2 to level the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup finals Friday at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.

Learning from their mistakes in the opener, the Beermen sustained their strong first-half showing and repulsed the Tropang 5G’s fourth-quarter fightback for a 1-1 best-of-seven series tie.

Game 3 is on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

San Miguel built a 24-point lead in the first half and stayed in front the rest of the way despite TNT outscoring the Beermen, 36-31, in the final canto.

Don Trollano showed the way, scoring 22 points on 6-of-8 field goal shooting off the bench to lead five other San Miguel players in double figures.

“In Game 1 I wasn’t aggressive. This time I played aggressive and my teammates were looking for me. They trust me to take shots,” said Trollano, who was limited to just four points in the Beermen’s Game 1 loss last Wednesday.

Big man June Mar Fajardo had a double-double of 17 points and 16 rebounds, Mo Tautuaa added 14 markers, CJ Perez scored 13 before fouling out while Jericho Cruz and Marcio Lassiter added 12 points each for San Miguel, which won on the boards, 50-35 after getting outrebounded in Game 1.

TNT gave the Beermen a scare in the fourth quarter with a sizzling run to close in, 97-87, after Jio Jalalon’s two charities in the last 2:26.

San Miguel answered with an 11-0 run to bring order back.

The Beermen handled the Tropang 5G really well in the first half, where they built a sizeable lead that ballooned to 24 heading into the intermission.

San Miguel’s defense made TNT bleed for points, hitting just 8-of-31 shooting from the field. The Beermen controlled the boards, 28-13, and pounded the ball inside for 24 points in the paint.

A 9-0 rally by the Tropang 5G that cut San Miguel’s 20-point lead to just 44-33 with three minutes left in the second quarter was countered by the Beermen with a closing 13-0 run capped by a Cruz basket.

San Miguel entered the halftime break with a 57-33 advantage.

Rey Nambatac finished 17 points, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser had 15 markers, Jordan Heading ended up with 14 while Calvin Oftana, who only had one rebound, and Kevin Ferrer added 11 each for TNT.