San Miguel Beer delivered clutch performances and grit to outlast Barangay Ginebra, 100-93, in a thrilling knockout semifinal duel on Wednesday, July 9, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The comeback win propelled the Beermen into the PBA Season 49 Finals, where they will face TNT Tropang 5G — a team chasing the league’s rare Grand Slam.

Beermen rally behind Fajardo, Ross to spoil TNT-Ginebra trilogy

June Mar Fajardo powered San Miguel with a 21-point, 19-rebound double-double and veteran Chris Ross emerged as the surprise catalyst, scoring 19 points, dishing seven assists, and grabbing four steals in a statement outing after a DNP in Game 6. The Beermen, down 11 points late in the third quarter, used defense and timely scoring to storm back and frustrate the Gin Kings’ hopes of forcing a TNT-Ginebra Finals trilogy.

CJ Perez added 15 points while Moala Tautuaa contributed 14. Adamson alumni Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano, and Rodney Brondial delivered crucial minutes that fueled the second-half surge for coach Leo Austria’s crew, which now seeks redemption after falling short in the last three conferences.

Ross and Fajardo took control in the final stretch, anchoring the defensive effort and converting crucial buckets to ice the game. The victory denies Ginebra a shot at revenge and sets up a blockbuster San Miguel vs TNT Finals showdown.

Austria praises resilience as SMB eyes crown last held in 2022

“It’s very clear they never gave up especially in the fourth. They all realized they need to step up, and they did step up,” said Austria, lauding his team’s resolve under pressure.

San Miguel last held the league title in 2022. Now, they stand in the way of TNT’s pursuit of a historic Grand Slam under coach Chot Reyes.

Jamie Malonzo led Ginebra with 22 points, while Scottie Thompson added 16. Troy Rosario and RJ Abarrientos had 15 apiece, with Stephen Holt and Japeth Aguilar chipping in 12 each. Despite a hot 7-of-12 three-point clip in the first half, Ginebra couldn’t hold off San Miguel’s relentless push.

The Beermen dominated the boards and had a 13-2 edge in second-chance points, setting the tone in a game witnessed by over 12,000 fans at the Big Dome.