SMB zooms to 2-0 lead

MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer handed Magnolia something it hasn’t experienced all tournament long – back-to-back losses.

In so doing, the overpowering Beermen are halfway through in this race-to-four duel for the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup plum against the groping-for-form Hotshots.

Picking up from where they left off in a 103-95 win in Game 1, the Beermen subjected the Hotshots to 48 minutes of relentless bombardment en route to a follow-up 109-85 romp last night at the MOA Arena.

Jorge Gallent’s red-hot charges, unbeaten in their last 11 games going back to the eliminations, can get on the hill with another win on Wednesday.

Bennie Boatwright proved unstoppable for the Magnolia defenders, making all sorts of shots in a 34-point, 10-rebound, five-assist stats-line.

So hot was Boatwright that he matched the entire Hotshots in three-point bombs converted with seven. Overall, SMB made 16 from beyond the arc, including a surprising two from June Mar Fajardo.

The Beermen’s top locals – Fajardo (19-14-4 plus two blocks) and CJ Perez (20-6-4 plus five steals) – delivered big-time as well to make it a complete domination. Marcio Lassiter, with 11, and Jericho Cruz, with 10, rounded out SMB’s double-digit scorers.

While its offensive might was in full display, SMB’s defense was topnotch. The Beermen held Magnolia reinforcement Tyler Bey to 22 on 8-of-22 shooting and allowed only two others – Mark Barroca (11) and Russel Escoto (10) – to finish in twin figures.

Boatwright led a seven-triple barrage in the opening quarter to propel SMB to an early 31-16 tear.