Fajardo powers San Miguel past TNT for 3-1 PBA Finals lead

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June Mar Fajardo hoists his 12th Best Player of the Conference trophy before Game 4 at MOA Arena. [PBA Images]

June Mar Fajardo added to his already historic resume with a 12th Best Player of the Conference award Sunday (July 20) night, then backed it up by leading San Miguel Beer to a commanding 105-91 win over TNT Tropang 5G in Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. The victory gave the Beermen a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series.

Fajardo’s dominance was on full display as he posted a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, helping the Beermen take one step closer to reclaiming the all-Filipino crown they last won in 2023. San Miguel now has a chance to close the series out in Game 5 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jericho Cruz torched TNT with 23 points, including five threes, in San Miguel’s Game 4 win. [PBA Images]

San Miguel finishes strong behind Cruz, Perez, and Fajardo

The game was tight until Jericho Cruz ignited an 11-2 San Miguel run in the fourth quarter with his third three-pointer, extending the lead to 92-82. Cruz finished with 23 points, including 5-of-7 from deep. CJ Perez added 16 points with clutch buckets down the stretch.

The Beermen closed the game with a 24-12 finishing run, marking their third straight win after taking Games 2 and 3 with scores of 98-92 and 108-88, respectively. Despite the return of Poy Erram, TNT couldn’t stop the bleeding as they continued to face major struggles on both ends.

Balanced offense and defensive stand key to Game 4 win

In the first half, San Miguel held a 45-37 lead behind balanced scoring from eight players. Cruz and Juami Tiongson led early with eight points each, while Chris Ross chipped in seven points including a crucial three that capped a 24-14 second-quarter rally.

TNT leaned on Kelly Williams’ hot shooting early—he had 14 points with four triples in the first half—while Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser contributed nine. However, the rest of the team combined for just 14 points before the break. Williams was shut out in the second half, while BGR managed just five more points.

Jordan Heading tried to spark a comeback with 23 second-half points, but it was too little too late as San Miguel controlled the paint, tempo, and scoreboard to take full command of the San Miguel vs TNT showdown.