Beermen pull off historic win over Aces

Santos shoots game-winner, gains MVP plum

MANILA, Philippines - San Miguel Beer ended its long 14-year title quest with an 80-78 decision over amazing Alaska Milk in a duel that had hung in the balance to the very last two seconds of the heart-stopping showdown.

The Beermen broke out in wild cheers before a roaring capacity crowd of 22,511 as the buzzer sounded to end the epic series in Game 7 where the ebb and flow of fortunes and grinding momentum shift had surely earned this contest a spot in the history of the league.

It was one best of seven that was true to the very end with one team coming back from a huge deficit to turn it into a gut-wrenching endgame, this time the Aces providing the drama by coming back from as many as 23 points.

With the series on the line, Arwind Santos hit the biggest three-pointer of his career and San Miguel Beer, bungling three games on endgame meltdown, held on to the one that mattered most, squeezing out the  thriller over a hard-fighting Alaska Milk to bag the PBA Philippine Cup championship last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen teetered on the brink after blowing away – again – a huge 23-point first-half lead but this time, came through with their own fightback at the finish to salvage their first all-Filipino crown since their finals conquest of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in 2001.

Santos buried a trey with 43.7 seconds to go, highlighting San Miguel’s own rally from a five-point deficit in the last eight minutes of the contest. He also pulled down a crucial rebound and knocked down a charity with 18 seconds left to help lift the Beermen to victory.

The two SMB MVPs in Santos and Junemar Fajardo delivered the games expected from them, combining for 43 points and 37 rebounds as the Beermen came out triumphant in the do-or-die setto and claimed their first title since their Governors Cup triumph in 2011 under coach Ato Agustin.

Jvee Casio had a chance to steal the win for Alaska but his potential game-winning three-point try at the buzzer proved way off the mark, triggering a wild celebration from the SMB camp with the players, team officials and supporters spilling into the court to join Santos and company at centercourt.

It was a fitting ending to what had been an epic duel between two teams steeped in championship tradition with the Aces nearly capping their run of incredible comebacks with another come-from-behind feat.

This time, Santos and the rest of the Beermen had other things in mind.

San Miguel, the league’s winningest ball club, thus nailed its fifth all-Filipino crown and 20th championship all in all.

For coming through in Game Seven and finishing with remarkable series averages of 18.5 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals, Santos was named the Petron Sprint 4T Finals MVP.

Santos logged 22 points with five triples, 12 rebounds, four blocks and two assists while Fajardo piled up 25 rebounds and 21 markers – the first 20-20 game by any PBA local player in a finals game.

Ronald Tubid, Chris Lutz and Alex Cabagnot contributed at least 12 points each but the Beermen still found it very tough to shake off the gritty Alaska side.

“Alaska proved they’re a worthy championship contender. We’re just fortunate the game ended in our favor in the end,” said coach Leo Austria, winning a championship in his very first conference at the helm of the San Miguel team.

The Aces were in the fight all the way to the finish, eventually dying down only after Casio flubbed his attempt from way out at endgame.

The Aces pushed the Beermen to the limit despite a woeful 10-of-25 free throws.

“There’s not a group I’d rather coach. I’m still proud of these guys,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

Calvin Abueva and Sonny Thoss put up tremendous stand against Santos and Fajardo but missed crucial shots in the last 25 seconds.

The Aces were down by just a point, 78-79, when Thoss missed a post move against Fajardo.

Then after Santos made it a two-point lead on a split from the line, Abueva muffed a running looper and a follow-up.

The Aces had last chance to steal the game when they grabbed possession following a jump ball between Fajardo and Abueva with two seconds to go.

Fajardo and Santos both came out strong, scoring 15 and 12, respectively, as they matched the output of the entire Alaska team in the first half.

Fajardo logged double-double numbers right in the first two quarters as he also snared 12 rebounds, including seven off the offensive board.

Coming to the rescue of Tubid, Fajardo attacked Sam Eman midway through the second quarter but quickly put his focus back on the game, rattling in back-to-back baskets to spark a run that gave the Beermen a 23-point spread, 48-25, shortly before the end of the first half.

Fajardo and Eman both were called a technical foul in the incident.

The Beermen fired seven three-pointers and dominated the boards, 26-14, in taking the half at 48-27.

But the Aces were back in the fight just in the next quarter.

Shifting into high gear in their return from the halftime huddle, the Aces charged to within three at 57-60, and could have seized the lead if not for six missed free throws.

Alaska eventually pulled even at 68 on a layup by Chris Exciminiano with 5:58 left to play and moved ahead, 70-68, on a drive by Cyrus Baguio 25 seconds later.