San Miguel Beer showed once more why it stands alone in PBA history, stamping its class in the Philippine Cup Finals with a decisive Game 6 victory over TNT on Sunday, February 1, at the MOA Arena in Pasay City. The Beermen shut the door on their rivals, 92-77, before a crowd of more than 14,000.

The win sealed back-to-back All-Filipino championships and delivered San Miguel Beer its 12th Philippine Cup crown and 31st overall title. The total leaves the Beermen well clear of the rest of the league, reinforcing a dynasty built on consistency, depth, and timely greatness.

June Mar Fajardo once again stood at the center of it all. The San Miguel big man dominated the paint from start to finish, controlling both ends and setting the tone for a closeout win that never truly slipped from the Beermen’s grasp.

Fajardo towers over Finals once again

Fajardo authored another Finals masterpiece with 29 points and 23 rebounds, imposing his will whenever TNT threatened to swing momentum. He narrowly missed a 30-20 night, but the impact was unmistakable as San Miguel Beer dictated pace and physicality.

CJ Perez provided timely scoring with 19 points, while Rodney Brondial added 15 and Marcio Lassiter chipped in 13. Chris Ross scored nine but left his biggest mark on defense, particularly in the fourth quarter when he hounded Calvin Oftana and disrupted TNT’s rhythm.

Fajardo earned his latest Finals MVP honor, this time receiving the Ramon Fernandez Trophy. He credited his teammates for the achievement, emphasizing that the success was shared across the roster.

Head coach Leo Austria, now an 11-time PBA champion, echoed that sentiment. He praised his players for executing the game plan and sustaining the standard that has defined the franchise across eras.

Defense seals Game 6 as TNT fades late

TNT showed resilience after falling behind by as many as 21 points early in the contest. Led by Oftana, the Tropang 5G clawed their way back with disciplined offense and energy, even grabbing a 68-66 lead late in the third quarter.

That surge, however, proved to be their last. San Miguel Beer tightened its defense in the final period, forced tough shots, and turned stops into controlled offense. Ross’ work on Oftana proved crucial after the TNT scorer erupted earlier in the game.

The Beermen closed the final minutes with composure, stretching the lead and extinguishing any chance of a Game 7. It was a familiar script, echoing their previous Finals win over TNT, again settled in six games.

San Miguel Beer raced to a huge early advantage, lost it briefly, then regrouped before halftime to regain control at 49-39. From there, the Beermen balanced execution and experience, finishing the job in a manner befitting a dynasty that shows no sign of slowing down.