Ito ang PAMBIHIRANG DISKARTE sa huling Minuto ng Barangay Ginebra at SMB sa Game 2!!!

SMB’s Terrence Romeo in action. PBA Images

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – San Miguel overcame a gritty Ginebra in overtime, 131-125, to equalize in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals on Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

But before that SMB triumph, the Gin Kings mounted a comeback in the fourth period and erased what was once an 11-point, 90-79 lead by the Beermen, led by Justin Brownlee who put up 15 points in that frame alone.

Ginebra finally tied at 97-apiece after a 14-4 run from the 93-83 count, capped by a Scottie Thompson triple with around five minutes left in the frame.

“They [the Beermen] got challenged really well especially when Ginebra came back from an 11-point deficit. So we just stuck to our game plan. We just stuck to what we do in practice,” said coach Jorge Gallent during the postgame press conference.

It was pretty much a back-and-forth affair during the dying moments in regulation, as CJ Perez sank a four-point shot to give San Miguel a 110-108 lead with over two seconds left.

Maverick Ahanmisi managed to force an extended chapter as he drained crucial freebies after he got fouled by Terrence Romeo, 110-110.

Although, the explosive guard out of Far Eastern University got things going his way in overtime as he nailed clutch baskets — a jumper, a triple, and his lone four-point shot in the game — to help San Miguel pull away against Ginebra, 121-117.

Brownlee tried to keep his team in striking distance, but Marcio Lassiter got his own time to shine, nailing a jumper and a trey to be up 126-120.

Import EJ Anosike and Jericho Cruz converted from the 15-foot-line to slimly extend their lead, 131-125, which also became the final score.

“What’s nice about it? We just didn’t panic,” added Gallent.

Romeo, who wasn’t able to shine that much for the Beermen this conference, took the Best Player of the Game nod after his heroics late in the game and scoring 26 points on perfect 5-of-5 shooting from the rainbow country.

“Ready lang ako, ready lang ako sa every game,” the 5-foot-11 Romeo said. “Thank God, na-shoot ‘yung mga tira ko.”

Their import, Anosike, gathered 35 points and nine rebounds, Perez added 28 points, while eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo delivered another monster game of 23 points, 21 rebounds, and dished six assists.

Brownlee paced the losing side with a game-high of 39 markers, 15 boards, and seven dimes.

SMB can get ahead in the series on Sunday, October 13, in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

The Scores (OT):
SAN MIGUEL 131 – Anosike 35, Perez 28, Romeo 26, Fajardo 23, Lassiter 12, Cruz 5, Tautuaa 2, Ross 0, Rosales 0, Trollano 0, Enciso 0, Manuel 0
GINEBRA 125 – Brownlee 39, J.Aguilar 29, Thompson 16, Ahanmisi 15, Holt 14, Abarrientos 4, Tenorio 3, Cu 2, Devance 2, Pinto 1, Pessumal 0, Adamos 0
QUARTERS: 22-24, 51-47, 85-76, 110-110, 131-125