SAN Miguel showed how potent it can be offensively as it crushed Columbian Dyip, 143-119, as it resumes its PBA Governors Cup campaign Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Arwind Santos erupted for 19 first quarter points to finish with a team-high 29 in leading two other Beermen with 20 or more in an obvious display of firepower. The former league MVP went 7-of-13 from three-point range.
Marcio Lassiter was six of 12 from beyond the arc for 28 points, while Christian Standhardinger added 21 for San Miguel, which equaled the league's all-time record for most three-pointers in a game with 23 held by TnT Katropa.
The Beermen improved to 2-1 in the standings as they banked on their firepower on a night the team played lackluster on defense, according to coach Leo Austria.
"We're no. 1 in the league right now in terms of offense, but the problem is our defense," said Austria.
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The San Miguel coach noted the Beermen gave up 66 points to the Dyip in the first half, which ended with them trailing by two.
"That's not a sign of a good defense," he said. "Fortunately our offense was superb tonight. I'm happy that we won the game, but I'm sad because we're not playing good defense."
When it matched firepower for firepower, the Elite simply had not answer against the Beermen.
With Reid as anchor, San Miguel outscored Columbian 43-18 in the third quarter alone to turn the game around and took with it a 107-84 lead going to the final quarter.
In the second half, the Beermen edged the Dyip in scoring, 79-54.
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Reid, a two-time Best Import awardee, had 14 of his 16 points during that stretch and went on to register a triple-double with his 17 rebounds and 11 assists.
The 143 points of San Miguel is also the most in a game in the last seven years since TnT Katropa routed Air21, 145-116, in the 2011 Governors Cup.
Kelly Nabong was also in double figures for the Beermen with 14 points, ditto with Alex Cabagnot (12 points) and Von Pessumal (11 points).
Chris Ross only had seven points, but contributed 10 assists for San Miguel.
Columbian remains winless in six games despite also having three players finishing with 20 points or more led by the 28 of Jackson Corpuz.
Import Akeem Wright had 22 and 12 rebounds, while Jeremy King with 22 and 14 rebounds for the Dyip, which climbed back from an 11-point first half deficit to take a 66-64 lead at the break. (RG)
The scores:
San Miguel 143 - Santos 29, Lassiter 28, Standhardinger 21, Reid 16, Nabong 14, Cabagnot 12, Pessumal 11, Ross 7, Heruela 5, Mamaril 0, Vigil 0.
Columbian 119 - Corpuz 28, King 22, Wright 22, McCathy 18, Khobuntin 7, Escoto 6, Cabrera 5, Reyes 2, Celda 2, Gabriel 2, Cahilig 2, Sara 2, Tubid 1, Ababou 0.
Quarters: 34-26, 64-66, 107-84, 143-119
