Beermen squeak past Saigon Heat

Game on Friday (Ynares Sports Arena)

5 p.m. – San Miguel Beer vs Indonesia Warriors

MANILA, Philippines - It was no blowout but just the same, San Miguel Beer still picked up its 12th consecutive triumph via a 71-69 squeaker over the Saigon Heat yesterday in the Asean Basketball League at the Ynares Sports Arena.

The Beermen, who previously annihilated the Heat by a record margin of 51 points in Ho Chi Minh City, found the Vietnamese a tougher nut to crack this time and needed some endgame breaks to escape with their winning streak and hold of the lead (15-3) intact.

Import Brian Williams (19 points) made only the front end of his freebies to give SMB a two-point cushion going to the last 10 seconds. But that also left the Heat with enough time to try and steal the win via Oping Sumalinog’s attempt from beyond the arc that just missed the mark.

“We can’t be happy with that one. Just an ugly, ugly win. Effort wasn’t there. Still, it’s a win,” said San Miguel team official Noli Eala.

The Beermen appeared poised to hammer out another blowout of the Heat as they raced to a 30-19 lead halfway through the second canto and maintained a 53-42 tear with 4:17 left in the third.

The home team kept the visitors at bay, 68-63, but then the Heat went hot with triples from David Palmer and Norman Gonzales sandwiching Leo Avenido’s basket, allowing them to close in at 70-69, 29 seconds left.