MANILA, Philippines — Don Trollano supplied the game-winning triple in the last 8.3 seconds to lift San Miguel Beer to thrilling 85-82 Eastern Sunday victory in their PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup showdown at the Araneta Coliseum.
The sweet-shooting wingman scored his only field goal in the last quarter, but it was a basket that mattered most, even as it preserved the 15-point explosion of SMB teammate CJ Perez in that same stretch to secure the Beermen’s third win in five starts.
Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson had their chances to send the game into overtime but their respective three-point attempts failed to hit the mark in the dying seconds.
The loss dropped the Gin Kings to an even 2-2 record as the PBA’s crowd darlings sorely missed veteran big man Japeth Aguilar due to a knee injury.
Perez led SMB with 20 points and eight rebounds, while import Justine Patton had 19 and 17 boards.
Trollano finished with 12 for San Miguel, which survived a subpar scoring night for June Mar Fajardo.
The nine-time league Most Valuable Player finished with just six points, as he only shot 2-of-13 from the floor, though he managed to grab 13 rebounds.
Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 31 points, but it took him 32 attempts.
RJ Abarrientos added 16 on just 5-of-17 shooting, while issuing seven assists.