Jericho Cruz ejected in another San Miguel loss in EASL
San Miguel Beermen’s Jericho Cruz and Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pauian Pilots Alec Brown figure in a spat during a EASL game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Jericho Cruz was ejected in the fourth quarter that marred the San Miguel Beermen’s 101-85 loss to Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pauian Pilots in the East Asia Super League held Wednesday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Cruz got tossed with 6:32 left for a disqualifying foul after being part of an altercation that also involved Pilots import Alec Brown, further adding to the frustrations of the Beermen side which went cold in the second quarter and trailed by a high of 29.
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A bounce-back showing from import Quincy Miller was not enough to stop San Miguel from going down to 0-2 in Group A after playing its first match in 24 days or since being eliminated by Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
San Miguel Beermen’s and Taiwan’s Taoyuan Pauian Pilots Alec Brown figure in a spat during a EASL game. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Miller finished with 32 points and eight rebounds after being held to just eight on 2-of-12 shooting in the Beermen’s opening night loss to South Korea’s Suwon KT Sonicboom last Oct. 2 at Mall of Asia Arena.
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Don Trollano was the top local scorer for San Miguel with 13 points while June Mar Fajardo posted seven points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes before sitting out the fourth with the game basically out of reach.
READ: PBA: Ross says too much ‘change on our team’ doomed San Miguel
Brown imposed trouble on San Miguel and produced 27 points and nine rebounds for the Pilots of Taiwan’s P.League+.
Lu-Chun Hsiang and import Trevon Graham added 25 points apiece for the visiting Pilots.
San Miguel seemed to have bucked a disappointing 10-0 deficit at the start and trailed 18-16 during the latter part of the first quarter.
But the Beermen slumped to a nightmarish second quarter that enabled the Pilots to eventually go into halftime up 57-33.
