Import Dezmine Wells powers Beermen past Aviators
MACAO - San Miguel leaned on the early explosion of import Dezmine Wells before relying on a string of three-point shooting in the end to hack out a 90-76 win over the Shenzhen Aviators on Tuesday and set its title bid in the East Asia League Terrific 12 on a high note.
Wells, who will suit up for the Beermen in the season-ending PBA Governors Cup when they go for a rare grand slam, had a team-high 29 points, eight rebounds, and four assists in a match the team led from start to finish.
Still, San Miguel needed a late volley of three pointers midway in the fourth quarter to put the game away and delight the pro-Filipino crowd which trooped at the Tap Seac Multisport Favilion.
The win put San Miguel on top of Group B and could clinch an outright semifinals seat should it beat defending champion Ryukyu Golden Kings on Thursday.
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"We started strong and kind of held on in the end," said veteran guard Chris Ross, who had 11 points, six rebounds, five assists, and six steals.
"We're looking forward for the rest of the tournament," added the two-time Defensive Player of the Year, who's playing in his first international competition as a pro.
Terrence Romeo led all San Miguel locals with 17 points including back-to-back treys that capped a 12-2 blast by San Miguel middle of the fourth quarter.
The run had the Beermen stretching a slim three-point lead to 70-57.
Christian Standhardinger added 11 while the Beermen's other import Lester Prosper submitted double-double of 10 points and 15 rebounds
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The Aviators was led by import Pierre De Shawn Jackson with 18 points, eight rebounds, and nine assists.
The CBA squad had a bad start and fell by as many as 33-13 behind the hot-shooting of Wells and Romeo.
But the Chinese squad showed resiliency and battled their way back behind big men Yiming Zhao and and Zijie Shen to threaten at 62-61 early in the fourth.
The Aviators made it a close game until Arwind Santos hit a three-pointer to spark the Beermen's barrage of outside shooting.
"I just told them to stick with what we do and play a decent stop," said Ross of that crucial stretch of the final quarter. (RG)
The scores
San Miguel (90) - Wells 29, Romeo 17, Ross 11, Standhardinger 11, Prosper 10, Santos 9, Pessumal 3.
Shenzhen Aviators (76) - Jackson 18, He 11, Shen 10, Rong 9, Zhao 6, Bai 6, Lu 6, Han 5, He 3, Yang 2, Li 0.
Quarterscores: 21-11; 42-34; 62-58; 90-76.
