Justin time
If first impressions do last, as the saying goes, then San Miguel Beer may have finally found a suitable import in Justin Patton.
“Sobrang haba niya (he is one lengthy man),” June Mar Fajardo said of Patton, whose 24 points, 17 rebounds and three steals keyed the Beermen’s 110-94 rout of the winless Macau Black Knights on Tuesday in the final game of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup before the Holy Week break.
Patton, who stands 7-foot-1, came into Ninoy Aquino Stadium hoping to meet the bare minimum after the Beermen decided to make a change after three games with Marcus Lee.
The 6-foot-11 Lee’s performance left plenty to be desired, and it reflected in the early woes of the Philippine Cup champions, who dropped two of their first three games: A shock setback to Titan Ultra and a 26-point mauling handed them by Bol Bol and TNT.
In his first appearance, Patton seemed to be a productive replacement, even showing the ability to haul down defensive boards and being one of the first players to run in transition.
“His height and defensive abilities will be a big help for us,” added Fajardo, who, more than anything, is glad to have help underneath the paint.
Patton, who played a total of 22 NBA games for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Houston Rockets, will have more time to get familiar with his team as San Miguel uses the Lenten season to prepare for big matches ahead.
The Beermen return to action on Easter Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, facing sister team Barangay Ginebra, which is coming off a much-needed win over Converge.
Jericho’s back
Then it will be Rain or Shine on Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino and Magnolia on April 12 at the Big Dome. And if San Miguel gets to have a favorable outcome in this slate, that may bode well in its bid for another crown.
“I gave him a lot of playing time because he’s yet to adjust to the Philippine brand of basketball, he’s still figuring it out,” said coach Leo Austria after giving Patton 40 minutes of action.
“We had a long practice [a day before facing Macau] so he would know what kind of plays we’re going to run,” Austria added. “And the good thing is, he was able to pick it up quickly.”
As the Beermen welcomed Patton to the fold, they also saw one of their key pieces make his Commissioner’s Cup debut in Jericho Cruz.
Cruz put up seven points, four rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes after being sidelined due to a back injury sustained while playing for Guam in the Fiba World Cup Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Cruz said it was a “surprise appearance” since he was only told by the team to suit up for the contest. His return comes as the Beermen are missing the services of Jeron Teng and Kris Rosales due to their own injury concerns.
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