MANILA: Peter June Simon pumped in a conference-high 26 points to lead the B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados to a 93-88 win in overtime against the free-falling San Miguel Beermen in the main match of Sunday's PBA Commissioner Cup double-header at the Araneta Coliseum. With their seventh loss in eight outings, the Beermen became the first team to get officially booted out of the conference. San Miguel tied its worst record in the league made in the 2007 Fiesta Conference when it lost its first six games. It will also be the first time the Beermen will be missing the playoffs since the 2005 Fiesta Cup.Their fourth win in eight games placed the Llamados at solo fifth in the standings, further improving their chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals. Derby Ace scored the morale-boosting win despite missing the services of four key players including top gunner James Yap, who is nursing a calf injury that could sideline him for several more games. Injuries have also kept Rico Maierhofer (knee), Raffi Reavies (foot), and Jondan Salvador (knee) out of the game. The Llamados paraded a new import in Courtney Beasley who took over from Shamari Spears. Beasley chipped in 17 markers. San Miguel was once again led by import David Young who scored 28 points. In the first match, the Smart Gilas Nationals overcame a 23-point deficit to edge the Powerade Tigers, 98-97. JV Casio exploded for 29 points, including the game-winning layup, to lead the Nationals to their sixth win in seven games as they regained joint leadership of the conference together with the Talk N Text Tropang Texters. The Nationals won despite the absence of naturalized 6'11” American center Marcus Douthit. Their sixth loss in eight outings virtually eliminated Powerade from the conference as the Tigers tumbled to ninth place in the rankings.
