Mo Tuatuaa saves the day as San Miguel slips past Terrafirma to improve to 5-0

Mo Tautuaa emerged as the unexpected hero for San Miguel as the Beermen narrowly escaped an upset from Terrafirma, securing a 108-105 victory in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday, April 10.

With Terrafirma threatening to replicate their previous upset over Brgy. Ginebra, Tautuaa stepped up in the crucial moments, scoring 17 of his season-high 24 points in the final quarter. The Beermen, who had been trailing for most of the game, found themselves relying on Tautuaa’s timely shots to turn the tide in their favor.

Tautuaa’s standout moment came with a clutch three-pointer that extended San Miguel’s lead to 111-107 with just 1:34 left on the clock.

Despite Terrafirma’s efforts to respond, Tautuaa continued to shine, securing a crucial undergoal stab to keep the Beermen ahead 113-110 with only 15 seconds remaining.

In addition to his scoring prowess, Tautuaa also made a significant impact on the defensive end, denying Juami Tiongson a clear three-point attempt in the final moments of the game.

Ultimately, Terrafirma’s last-ditch effort fell short, as Isaac Go’s potential game-tying shot rimmed out.

Tautuaa’s all-around performance, with 8 rebounds and 4 assists, was instrumental in preserving the defending champ’s unbeaten record after five games.

CJ Perez led the team in scoring with 25 points, supported by a double-double from June Mar Fajardo (20 points, 17 rebounds) and solid contribution from Terrence Romeo (16 points).

On the Terrafirma side, Juami Tiongson led the charge with 24 points, while Stephen Holt nearly recorded a triple-double with 18 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds.

Despite strong showings from Go and Javi Gomez De Liano (21 points each), Terrafirma fell short, dropping to a 4-4 record in the standings as they aim to surpass their best season under head coach Johndel Cardel.

The scores:

San Miguel 113 – Perez 25, Tautuaa 24, Fajardo 20, Romeo 16, Cruz 9, Manuel 7, Lassiter 6, Trollano 5, Ross 1, Enciso 0, Teng 0, Brondial 0.

Terrafirma 110 – Tiongson 24, Go 21, Gomez de Liano 21, Holt 18, Carino 9, Cahilig 6, Sangalang 5, Ramos 4, Alolino 2, Olivario 0, Calvo 0.

Quarterscores: 24-26, 45-54, 78-75, 113-110.