MANILA: Anyone saying that KIA Motors beating rock-solid San Miguel Beer the last conference was a fluke will be eating their words.

The Carnival defeated the Beermen for the second straight time, scoring an 83-78 victory Wednesday night in the first upset of the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

Alex Nuyles, acquired from fellow newcomer Blackwater before the start of the conference, stepped up big at the crunch, scoring six points inside the final three minutes that helped key the win.

The former Adamson ace in the UAAP capped a career-high 18-point night with a coast-to-coast layup, which was made possible when he stripped San Miguel import Arizona Reid of possession for 81-75 going into the final 34.9 seconds.

The Beermen, who missed the playoffs of the Commissioner’s Cup after winning the Philippine Cup just two months before, got a triple from former MVP Arwind Santos for their last-gasp stand only for Hamady Ndiaye to make two free throws on the other end and put the game away.

Ndiaye, a member of the Senegalese national team that Gilas Pilipinas beat last September for the country’s first World Cup victory in over four decades, finished with 21 points and nine rebounds despite trying to catch his breath the entire night.

“We want to be the No. 1 defensive team because of our import,” KIA coach Chito Victolero told reporters later. “I am very proud of my players because they repeatedly held off San Miguel.”

The Carnival, whom coach Manny Pacquiao will rejoin next week, led by as many as 12 in the third quarter with Taiwanese import Jeff Chang helping with his 14 points – all scored in the second half.

Chang, who played collegiate ball in the United States, is the Carnival’s Asian import and he plugged a lot of holes as KIA had another go-to-guy offensively.

But it was Nuyles who was clearly the star of the show.

The high-flying swingman first knocked down a wide-open triple for 76-72, before Chang added two free throws for more breathing room.

Alex Cabagnot, who scored 12 points in the fourth period, then had the Beermen coming within 78-75 after three free throws, before Nuyles had a charity split off Santos and that defensive gem and layup.

Cabagnot paced San Miguel with 18 points, while Reid, who played with an upset stomach, was good for just 17 points as the Beermen, like they did in the last conference, started out cold.

June Mar Fajardo, the reigning MVP, was clearly bothered by the presence of the 7-foot-1 Ndiaye in the paint, shooting just 11 points while missing a crucial two-handed slam dunk that led to those two free throws by Chang.

Meanwhile, Barako Bull also got off to an impressive start with an 101-96 decision of NLEX in the curtain-raiser.

JC Intal and 7-foot-2 import Liam McMorrow took turns in hurting the Road Warriors in the fourth quarter, combining for all but seven of the Energy’s output in the period that allowed Barako Bull to join opening day winners Alaska and Globalport and KIA for the early lead.

Intal scored 14 of his 24 points in the final frame and McMorrow tossed in 10 of his total and the duo also completed double-doubles with McMorrow plucking down 22 rebounds and Intal 11.

McMorrow who finished with 33 points, threw his weight around and had 11 offensive rebounds.

The Road Warriors trailed by as big as 22 in the second quarter but fought back gallantly behind Asian import Michael Madanly.

NLEX even led 68-66 with under three minutes left in the third after an Aldrech Ramos three-point play before the Road Warriors took a big blow.

Madanly, who led the Fiba-Asia 2007 Championship in scoring with 33 points a game for Syria, suffered a neck injury after a loose ball play involving Dylan Ababou late in the third quarter.

He didn’t return for the fourth quarter but still finished with 26 points to pace the Road Warriors.