Beermen celebrate Leo Austria’s return as head coach with 18-point win over Dyip

In a stroke of good fortune on this Friday the 13th, Leo Austria proved to be the catalyst San Miguel needed, snapping a two-game losing streak with a commanding 106-88 victory over Terrafirma in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Announced as the new head coach mere hours before tip-off, Austria made an immediate impact, leading the Beermen through a scorching fourth quarter that transformed what had been a tightly contested matchup into a decisive triumph.

With San Miguel holding a modest eight-point lead at 78-70, the team launched an explosive 16-4 run in the final period, breaking the game wide open and leaving Terrafirma still searching for their first win through five games.

Newly acquired import Torren Jones made a striking debut, contributing 24 points and 13 rebounds, while anchoring an imposing twin-tower lineup alongside June Mar Fajardo, who delivered an impressive performance with 21 points, 19 rebounds, and seven assists.

CJ Perez added 16 points to the scoring effort, and Juami Tiongson chipped in with 12 in his first encounter against his former team.

With this victory, SMB found their footing after setbacks against NLEX and Rain or Shine, boosting their record to an even 2-2.

Brandon Edwards paced the Dyip with a double-double, recording 18 points and 18 rebounds, while rookie Mark Nonoy made his mark with 14 points in support.

Vic Manuel also faced off against his former squad, contributing 12 points in a game that featured his previous teammates, following the trade that sent him and Terrence Romeo to the other side for Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig.

The scores:

San Miguel 106 – Jones 24, Fajardo 21, Perez 16, Tiongson 12, Trollano 10, Lassiter 6, Rosales 6, Brondial 4, Tautuaa 4, Cahilig 3, Ross 0, Cruz 0.

Terrafirma 88 – Edwards 18, Nonoy 14, Manuel 12, Sangalang 11, Pringle 11, Melecio 7, Catapusan 6, Hanapi 5, Ferrer 4, Paraiso 0, Hernandez 0, Olivario 0, Zaldivar 0.

Quarterscores: 21-16, 47-39, 73-66, 106-88.