June Mar Fajardo unleashed "The Kraken," and San Miguel now leads the best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals against TNT via a Game 3 win.
June Mar Fajardo ate and left no crumbs.
With TNT missing big man Poy Erram, the San Miguel superstar wreaked havoc to power the Beermen's 108-88 Game 3 victory in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals Friday night, July 18.
But the eight-time Most Valuable Player insisted the job still was not easy. After all, he still had to deal with Kelly Williams, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Henry Galinato.
“Mahirap kahit wala si Poy,” said Fajardo after the match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
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The figures suggested otherwise.
Fajardo hardly missed, scoring 33 points on 12-of-15 shooting from the field. He also had 11 rebounds, three assists, a steal and an emphatic block on RR Pogoy in the third period.
He helped SMB dominate the paint, 48-28.
Humble as ever, Fajardo reiterated it was a collective effort of the Beermen, who now lead the series, 2-1.
“Kaming lahat, nag-step up. Lahat ng ipinasok ni coach (Leo Austria) sa loob ng court, nag-step up lahat,” Fajardo said.
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TNT's efforts to stop San Miguel behemoth June Mar Fajardo in Game 3 proved futile. | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports
Veteran Chris Ross came up big anew with 15 points, six rebounds and a steal, while Jericho Cruz submitted 13 points and three assists. Cjay Perez and Don Trollano added 12 and 10 points, respectively.
After the Tropang 5G pulled within seven, 82-89, on Calvin Oftana’s split from the foul line, SMB countered with an 8-1 surge capped by Ross’ triple.
That gave the Beermen a comfortable 13-point spread with 2:56 remaining in the match.
Ross would sink another triple almost two minutes later for insurance, 104-88, before putting the icing on the victory cake with a pair of freebies.
TNT did fight, but it simply ran out of ammunition in the fourth period the way it did in the first two games of the titanic showdown.
Pogoy made up for a quiet Game 2 performance with 16 points, three rebounds and an assist, but still could not bring the Tropang 5G back to their winning ways. Calvin Oftana turned in 15 points and nine boards.
Almond Vosotros provided the spark off the bench with four triples for 14 markers.
San Miguel vs. TNT scores:
SAN MIGUEL 108 – Fajardo 33, Ross 15, Cruz 13, Perez 12, Trollano 10, Tautuaa 9, Lassiter 6, Brondial 6, Rosales 2, Teng 2, Tiongson 0, Calma 0.
TNT 88 – Pogoy 16, Offtana 15, Vosotros 14, Khobuntin 13, Williams 11, Heading 10, Ganuelas-Rosser 3, Enciso 3, Galinato 3, Heruela 0, Variila 0, Aurin 0.
Quarterscores: 22-25, 59-52, 86-70, 108-88.