Don Trollano delivered his best game of the conference off the bench to help San Miguel Beer overpower Phoenix, 111-92, in the PBA Philippine Cup Sunday, May 11, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. Trollano dropped 21 points, 10 of them in the second quarter, as SMB’s relievers flipped a tight contest into a runaway victory.

After a sluggish start, the Beermen’s second unit exploded in the second frame, helping turn a one-point lead into a 64-46 halftime cushion. Trollano’s spark was backed by efficient defense as San Miguel limited Phoenix to just 13-of-32 shooting in the second and third periods combined.

CJ Perez, Fajardo Anchor Bounce-Back Victory

With the bench setting the tone, starters CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo came back in the second half to extend the advantage to as much as 89-65. Perez led the Beermen with 26 points, while Fajardo notched his sixth straight double-double with 20 points and 12 rebounds despite resting the entire second quarter.

San Miguel improved to 4-2 and bounced back from a stinging 107-97 loss to TNT. Coach Leo Austria credited the team’s depth, praising the bench for stepping up after scoring only six points in the previous game.

Trollano’s Redemption Fuels SMB Surge

Trollano, who went scoreless against TNT, made up for it by hitting 7-of-13 shots this time. “Kailangan naming mag-step up pag nag-struggle first group,” said Trollano. “The mind-set is just to win. We cannot afford to lose back-to-back games kasi nga, ‘yung standing is dikit-dikit.”

Austria added, “From six points to 46 points… that’s a lot. Usually, we’re relying on our bench because our bench could be starters on other teams.”

Phoenix Drops to 2-4 Despite Ballungay’s Efforts

Kai Ballungay was Phoenix’s brightest spot, finishing with 23 points while also battling Fajardo on defense. Kenneth Tuffin added 16, and Jason Perkins had 15 points and nine boards, but the Fuel Masters couldn’t sustain a strong start that saw them lead early 16-9.

After keeping it close in the first quarter at 29-30, Phoenix faltered as SMB’s second unit took control and widened the gap. With the loss, Phoenix dropped to 2-4 and now faces a crucial stretch in the middle of the conference.