Barangay Ginebra showed its signature never-say-die resolve, staging a dramatic comeback to stun San Miguel Beer, 73-71, in Game 1 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals clash Wednesday, June 25, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Down by as much as 18 points and struggling to find their rhythm, the Gin Kings leaned on a gritty fourth-quarter push anchored by Japeth Aguilar, Stephen Holt, and Troy Rosario to steal the win and grab a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Aguilar led the charge with 18 points and nine rebounds, while Scottie Thompson and Jamie Malonzo added 16 and 14 markers, respectively, in the tightly contested opener. Holt, who had been 0-of-5 from the field all game, delivered when it mattered most—drilling a clutch three-pointer that gave Ginebra a 70-69 edge with just under two minutes left.

Holt then sealed the win with a free throw with two seconds remaining, intentionally missing the second to prevent a final SMB play. The Beermen had one last shot but could not capitalize, ending a night of cold shooting and missed opportunities.

Despite leading most of the way, San Miguel Beer couldn’t sustain their early momentum. After a strong 29-point first quarter, the Beermen’s offense sputtered, scoring just 16 in the second, 15 in the third, and a dismal 11 in the fourth quarter.

San Miguel shot a woeful 26-of-81 from the field. CJ Perez finished with 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting, while June Mar Fajardo, Juami Tiongson, Marcio Lassiter, and Rodney Brondial combined for a miserable 12-of-45 clip. Their bench provided little relief, compounding the Beermen’s late-game collapse.

With the win, Ginebra extended its momentum from a four-game elimination round win streak and avenged an earlier 93-104 loss to San Miguel. Game 2 is set for Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, where the Beermen hope to bounce back and level the series.