San Miguel Beermen took a thrilling 108-100 overtime win over TNT Tropang Giga to take a 2-1 lead in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup finals Friday night.
In a game where Robbie Herndon's late-game heroics nearly overshadowed a monstrous output from June Mar Fajardo, the Beermen found offense from various sources in the fourth period and overtime to move halfway to their first Philippine Cup title in three years.
RR Pogoy made the free throw that tied the count at 94-all, but Jayson Castro, who had made three game-winning baskets this conference, couldn’t convert his attempt in the final seconds of the fourth.
Herndon’s putback and open three from the left side gave the Beermen a 99-94 lead in the first 90 seconds of overtime, putting the fire out of the Tropang Giga’s determined stand.
The reserve wingman stepped up after Marcio Lassiter and CJ Perez both fouled out during the fourth. He finished with eight points and four rebounds in just eight minutes.
June Mar Fajardo was dominant with 27 points and 27 rebounds as San Miguel won back-to-back games after dropping the Finals opener on Castro’s buzzer-beating shot.
Pogoy’s 25 points, Castro’s 17 and Poy Erram’s 11 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks couldn’t prevent TNT from falling behind for the first time in the best-of-seven affair.
