By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Marcio Lassiter stepped up when the San Miguel Beermen needed him the most after burying the game-winning shot that stunned the Phoenix Fuel Masters Super LPG, 107-104, in the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup on December 3, 2024, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
With 4.2 seconds left and the Beermen down by a point, San Miguel designed an off-the-curl play to Lassiter which was inbounded by their newest acquisition Juami Tiongson.
After a slip screen provided by their import Quincy Miller, Lassiter slid to the left corner and quickly let it fly as the defense of Ricci Rivero came late when he was caught in the elbow.
Without any doubt and the ball still rising through the air, the whole San Miguel bench already stood up and pointed the trigger finger, expecting their veteran shooter to deliver the goods, which he did.
Lassiter’s huge jumper then gave the Beermen the advantage back, 105-104, which put the pressure back on the crumbling Phoenix squad.
The Fuel Masters had the chance to win the game but their mapped-out inbound play with only 2.6 seconds left was disrupted by reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo who read Phoenix’s execution like a book.
Despite the multiple screen actions, Fajardo knew that the play was going to Phoenix’s import, Donovan Smith, and just wisely tapped the leather that completed the San Miguel defensive stop.
Simon Enciso iced the game for the Beermen after he was fouled a split second after the Fajardo deflection and drained both of his shots from the charity stripe.
It was a come-from-behind win for the Beermen after facing an early 16-point deficit in the game when the Fuel Masters waxed hot from downtown during their fiery third-quarter rally.
Coming through for San Miguel during their comeback avalanche were Tiongson, Miller, Andreas Cahilig, CJ Perez, Lassiter, and Don Trollano who shared the load in generating their momentum-stealing 36-24 fourth-quarter response.
Tiongson and Cahilig, who were part of the Terrence Romeo-Vic Manuel trade package that sent them to the Terrafirma Dyip, immediately delivered with their offensive capability.
The young duo kicked off San Miguel’s comeback with three treys, followed by a personal scoring run from Perez capped off by Trollano’s drives to the basket.
Perez top-scored for the Beermen with 18 markers, while Lassiter, the money man in the clutch, added 15 crucial markers.
