MANILA, Philippines — San Miguel Beer moved closer to securing a PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal berth after routing Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 143-113, on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
George King scored 39 points, while Rodney Brondial posted 13 points and 17 rebounds as the Beermen improved to 7-2 in Group A.
Marcio Lassiter added 15 points for San Miguel, which followed its 52-point rout of the Macau Giant Pandas with another dominant performance.
Coach Leo Austria credited the team’s chemistry after the victory.
“The good thing is that everybody’s enjoying and it seems that they are getting good chemistry,” Austria said.
Austria estimated that San Miguel had a 90% chance of reaching the quarterfinals but warned his players against complacency during the two-month break before the conference resumes in early October.
“We should not be complacent, because come playoff time, it will be a different ballgame,” he said.
San Miguel remained second in Group A behind NLEX, which improved to 7-1 after beating TNT, 118-111, in overtime at the same venue.
NLEX, however, lost import DeQuan Jones to a leg injury during the third quarter of that game and is looking for a replacement before facing Converge on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Titan Ultra also lost rookie Bryan Sajonia to an apparent left knee injury during the third quarter against San Miguel. Sajonia left the court on a stretcher after his knee buckled while he drove toward the basket.
Titan Ultra dropped to 2-7 after suffering its third consecutive loss by at least 30 points. The Giant Risers also lost to TNT, 134-100, on Saturday in Rodriguez, Rizal.
Titan Ultra played without top local scorer Joshua Munzon, who reportedly sat out because he was part of a trade submitted to the league involving TNT.
TNT, the defending conference champion, is set to acquire Munzon in exchange for its first-round pick in Season 53 and rookie Joe Celzo, a rarely used San Beda center.