MANILA, Philippines – Jonas Villanueva had a career game in a 93-89 win over Alaska by a San Miguel Beer team that played without an import in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Wednesday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.

Villanueva, the former Far Eastern University top playmaker, scored 27 points – a career high – and had six rebounds in the victory that steered the Beermen for a share of the early lead with Purefoods, Rain or Shine and Burger King.

Dondon Hontiveros added 22 markers to more than make up for Beermen import Nate Carter’s absence.

Carter didn’t suit up for the team after it was found out that he had no release papers from the team he last played in France (St. Etienne).

But his absence was not enough to deny San Miguel from posting a surprise of sort in its very first game of the season-ending tournament.

Alaska came into the game wanting to give coach Tim Cone a victory, his 602nd in a 20-year span that would have pushed him past Virgilio “Baby" Dalupan as the one with the most number of wins in the league.

But the Aces failed to check San Miguel’s blazing start and couldn’t pull it through when they made things very interesting by coming back from an 18-point (76-58) deficit to close in at 88-85 on a three-point play from Tony De La Cruz with 1:32 left to play.

Hontiveros, however, cut through a weak Alaska defense from the left quarter-court, put up a shot against Reynel Hugnatan, made the basket and drew the foul. He converted the three-point play for a 91-85 SMB lead with 42.7 seconds left.

Alaska import Galen Young flopped in his return stint with the Aces. He only produced 12 points and fouled out. Through three quarters, though, he could merely produce five points, pull down five rebounds and already had five personal fouls.


http://www.gmanews.tv/story/151383/SMB-Villanuevas-career-game-denies-Alaskas-Cone-of-milestone