Cubao, Quezon City – The Star Hotshots escaped a late run by the San Miguel Beermen when Aldrech Ramos stabbed the three-point dagger in the clutch to avoid a late collapse, 109-106, to lead the 2017 PBA Commissioners Cup Semi-Finals 1-0 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Hotshots jumped off to an early 19-10 lead with the combination of Ricardo Ratliffe and Allein Maliksi each having 7 points for their team but the Beermen ended the quarter with a 12-4 run behind June Mar Fajardo’s 10 points to just trail by a point heading into the second period.
Charles Rhodes stepped up for San Miguel by initiating the second quarter attack by scoring 10 points as his team takes a one point advantage by halftime.
While Charles Rhodes continued to bombard the Star defense with 15 third-quarter points, Allein Maliksi kept his team in pace by scoring 13 as Star sits on a three-point lead entering the fourth period.
Star took the momentum entering they try to pull away with a 9-3 run to start the fourth quarter and led as much as 14 points. Marcio Lassiter finally found his groove as he and Fajardo tried to steal the game away to close in at 105-104.
Aldrech Ramos hit a clutch three as Star made it difficult for San Miguel to mount another comeback. He finishes the game with 11 points, four rebounds, and two steals.
Allein Maliksi was honored as the best player of the game with 26 points while draining five three-point bombs while Ricardo Ratliffe had a 20-20 night with 26 points and twenty-one rebounds.
This was Star’s eight win in a row as they try to ride their momentum into next Game on Monday, June 12 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The scores:
STAR 109 – Ratliffe 26, Maliksi 26, Sangalang 12, Ramos 11, Barroca 8, Melton 8, Reavis 7, Lee 4, Simon 4, Jalalon 3.
SAN MIGUEL 105 – Rhodes 34, Fajardo 24, Santos 16, Lassiter 12, Cabagnot 8, Ross 7, Espinas 2, Tubid 2.
Quarterscores: 23-22, 45-46, 75-72, 109-105.
Story by: Ernest Hernandez / Photo credit: Peter Baltazar