San Miguel Beer sent a strong message Sunday night, May 18, steamrolling Terrafirma Dyip, 128-89, to seize solo third place in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban.

Behind a career night from Rodney Brondial and a flawless shooting display from Mo Tautuaa, the Beermen collected their fifth win in seven games, breaking away from their tie with Barangay Ginebra.

Brondial hauled down 22 rebounds—a personal best—while chipping in 16 points, dominating the paint and giving San Miguel relentless second-chance opportunities. Tautuaa, meanwhile, was perfect from the field, hitting 7-of-7 shots to also finish with 17 points.

“Ever since, alam natin ‘yung hard-nosed defense at rebounding ni Rodney,” said SMB coach Leo Austria. “Kahit sa practice, consistent ‘yung intensity niya.”

Brondial, ever humble, attributed the numbers to the team system. “Sinusunod ko lang ‘yung sistema ni coach Leo,” said the 34-year-old forward. “Rebounds talaga focus ko at ‘yung depensa. Bonus na lang ‘yung 16 points.”

Balanced Effort from Beermen

CJ Perez overcame early cold shooting to also score 17, while June Mar Fajardo quietly contributed a 12-point, 12-rebound double-double. In total, six Beermen scored in double figures, showcasing SMB’s depth and offensive cohesion.

San Miguel’s stifling defense also shone, limiting Terrafirma to just 33-of-92 from the field, while imposing their tempo from the opening tip.

After surging to a 28-21 first-quarter lead—powered by Brondial’s early board work and three triples from Juami Tiongson—SMB never looked back. The advantage ballooned to 51-35 midway through the second quarter before exploding into a 95-64 cushion heading into the final 12 minutes.

Terrafirma Spiraling

The loss was Terrafirma’s seventh straight, dropping them to a 1-7 record and all but eliminating them from quarterfinal contention.

Mark Nonoy led the Dyip with 24 points, including three triples, while Stanley Pringle added 17 and Louie Sangalang posted a double-double with 10 points and 14 boards. Still, the team failed to contain San Miguel’s firepower and relentless ball movement.