June Mar Fajardo reached 10,000 career points on Wednesday night, and San Miguel came back from 20 points down to beat NLEX, 135-133, in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Milestone
Fajardo needed five points coming into the game. He got there in the first quarter with a turnaround hook, which gave him 10,001 career points. That makes the nine-time MVP the 19th player in league history to reach 10,000 points, and the second this season after TNT's Jayson Castro in May. Castro and Fajardo are the only active players in the club.
Fajardo is also the fifth player to reach the mark in a San Miguel uniform, after Abet Guidaben, Norman Black, Allan Caidic and Nelson Asaytono. Ramon Fernandez still holds the all-time scoring record at 18,996 points.
Fajardo finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks, and he was named Best Player of the Game.
The Comeback
NLEX led 116-96 early in the fourth quarter. San Miguel import George King, Don Trollano and Fajardo led an 11-0 run that cut the gap to 131-129. A Deonte Burton jumper put NLEX up 133-129, but it was the Road Warriors' last field goal.
Jericho Cruz and Trollano tied the game at 133 with 53.8 seconds left. With 5.2 seconds left, King's go-ahead attempt missed, but Robert Bolick was called for basket interference, which counted the two points. Ljay Gonzales' last shot for NLEX hit the front rim.
King had 27 points and nine rebounds, and Trollano added 23 points and 10 rebounds. Burton scored 43 for NLEX.
"Let us play to win," coach Leo Austria said he told his team before the game, even though it was mostly for seeding.
Standings
The game decided the top spot in Group A. The group winner faces Group B's No. 4 team in the crossover quarterfinals. Earlier in the night, Magnolia clinched the Group B top seed with a 107-103 win over Rain or Shine.
