SMB steals quarterfinals Game 1 from TNT

San Miguel rallied back from a huge deficit to take a 121-110 win against TNT at the start of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Monday night. (Photo: PBA/Facebook)

MANILA — San Miguel rallied back from a huge deficit to take a 121-110 win against TNT at the start of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Monday night.

The Beermen witnessed the KaTropa explode early on as they found themselves down, 18-40, late in the first quarter.

However, SMB showed why it is the defending champion of the conference, slowly crawling back and finally breaking away with a 16-0 run late in the fourth quarter to complete the comeback.

Renaldo Balkman put up another impressive all-around game, tallying 36 points, 16 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and two steals for the Beermen, who can clinch a semifinals seat in Game 2 on Wednesday night.

Junemar Fajardo added 27 points, 13 rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal as he held his ground against the burly Joshua Smith.

Marcio Lassiter also caught fire, making 26 markers with six caroms, four dimes, and two steals.

Smith and RR Pogoy each made 17 points for TNT.