MANILA — The San Miguel Beermen showed championship poise as they rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the NLEX Road Warriors, 119-114, in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. This victory avenged their earlier loss to NLEX and improved San Miguel’s Group B record to 4-2, while NLEX dropped to 3-4 with their third straight defeat.
Fourth-Quarter Turnaround
NLEX controlled most of the game, leading 92-86 after three quarters and looking set for an upset. San Miguel flipped the script with a dominant 33-22 fourth-quarter run, fueled by tighter defense and balanced scoring. Coach Jorge Gallent praised the team’s one-on-one defensive focus that limited NLEX after halftime.
“We focused on individual defense to avoid overhelping, and the players improved significantly after halftime,” Gallent said.
Lassiter’s Milestone Performance
Cjay Perez topped San Miguel with 24 points, but Marcio Lassiter, named Player of the Game, stole the spotlight with 17 points on four three-pointers. Lassiter surpassed Allan Caidic to rank second on the PBA’s all-time three-point list, a huge personal achievement.
“It’s an honor to be among such elite company, but the win was our main goal tonight,” Lassiter shared.
June Mar Fajardo added 17 points and nine rebounds, Sheldon Mac scored 16, and Don Trollano delivered key late shots to hold off NLEX’s final push.
NLEX’s Strong Effort Falls Short
Robert Bolick led NLEX with 24 points and 15 assists in a standout all-around game. Myke Henry scored 17, and Anthony Miranda added 18, but San Miguel’s depth proved too much in the clutch.
San Miguel Beermen Key Players: Perez (24), Fajardo (17), Lassiter (17), Mac (16), Trollano (16), Romeo (13), Cruz (10)
NLEX Road Warriors Key Players: Bolick (24), Miranda (18), Henry (17), Valdez (15), Rodger (11), Amer (10), Herndon (9)
San Miguel will look to build on this momentum, while NLEX aims to snap its skid in the Governors’ Cup race.
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