SMB vs. Meralco. Photo from PBA Images.

MANILA – The San Miguel Beermen successfully bounced back from their previous defeat to tie the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup Finals series at one game apiece.

This, after SMB thwarted the Meralco Bolts, 95-94, during their 2024 Philippine Cup Finals Game 2 clash, rainy Friday evening at the Araneta Coliseum.

Trailing by two after a split from Chris Banchero in the pay-off period, Marcio Lassiter hit a fly-by triple over Bong Quinto to overtake the Bolts and hold a one-point lead.

Banchero failed to convert in their next possession as they looked to put up a two-to-nothing lead, and this eventually allowed the Beermen to tie the series and make it a virtual best-of-five faceoff.

Before this, down by one following a Quinto floater in the payoff period, Banchero hit a shot from beyond the arc to put the Luigi Trillo and Nenad Vucinic-mentored squad up by four, 93-89, making the Bolts poised to win the game.

CJ Perez, however, answered with his own three-pointer to keep the Beermen alive and get within one, while Banchero split his charities in the next possession, in turn, keeping the window open for San Miguel.

Earlier in the game, as Meralco was down by six, 64-58, after a triple by Marcio Lassiter midway through the third, the Bolts surged to an 11-to-1 run which was built on treys from Allein Maliksi and Chris Newsome as well as baskets from Cliff Hodge and Quinto to post a 69-65 lead.

Meralco maintained their momentum as the fourth canto opened, with Norbert Torres even draining a three-pointer at the 11:14 mark to increase their lead to eight, 78-70, but June Mar Fajardo and Mo Tautuaa would not let the Beermen falter as they starred in their 10-2 spurt that tied the game at 80.

Game 3 of the series is scheduled on Sunday, 6:15 PM, still at the Big Dome.