San Miguel Beer's Arizona Reid fires a three-pointer from the top of the key as Rain or Shine's Paul Lee is a step late in defense in Monday night's Game 3 of their PBA Governors' Cup semifinals match at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Jay R. Gotera Saudi Gazette
MANILA — The San Miguel Beermen deluged the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters with volleys after volleys of shots to hack out a 114-108 victory Monday night for a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five PBA Governors' Cup semifinals series. Arizona Reid exploded with 37 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, while Alex Cabagnot poured 26 points, including five three-pointers, as the Beermen moved within a game of clinching the series and arranging a Finals duel with the top-seeded Alaska Aces, the same team it beat in the Finals of the season-opening Philippine Cup. Cabagnot also had a game-high nine assists on top of five rebounds and three steals to earn Player of the Game honors. Marcio Lassiter and June Mar Fajardo added 17 points apiece. Fajardo also collected eight rebounds. The Beermen shot a sizzling 56.9 percent from the floor, converting 41 of 72 shots, including 18 of 27 from beyond the three-point arc. The Painters were not so bad, shooting 48.7 percent from the floor but could not hold off the flood of baskets unleashed by the Beermen despite their vaunted defense. Unlike in Game 2 when the Beermen collapsed in the endgame after posting a 20-point lead, Game 3 saw a more focused and determined SMB team that kept on repelling wave after wave of ROS rallies. Import Wendell McKines once again led the Painters with 39 points and 12 rebounds while Paul Lee added 22 markers. Jeff Chan added 13, while Gabe Norwood and Chris Tiu chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively. The Beermen started the third quarter with a flurry of three-pointers from Reid, Lassiter and Chris Lutz, with Reid and Lassiter banging two triples, to give SMB a 73-62 lead. The Painters managed to trim the deficit to seven, 89-82, at the end of the third but could not come any closer. In the final quarter, the Beermen unleashed a 10-2 run, with Reid stringing seven points, after the Painters closed to within a point. Game Wednesday: Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. San Miguel Beermen (Game 4 of best-of-five semifinals; SMB leads 2-1).
