Beermen tie series; Tropang 5G one win away from Finals
San Miguel Beermen made a statement in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals, against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107-82, on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
CJ Perez spearheaded the charge with a near-complete performance, tallying 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in almost 35 minutes of action. His energy sparked a game-changing 17-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke the game wide open for the Beermen.
Juami Tiongson added 14 points, while June Mar Fajardo turned in another monster game with 12 markers, a game-high 19 boards, three dimes, two deflections, and a rejection.
San Miguel’s well-balanced offense saw five players score in double figures, including Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial with 12 apiece, and Don Trollano who chipped in 11.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both powerhouse squads looking to seize control of the series and inch closer to a Finals berth.
On the other side of the bracket, the TNT Tropang 5G are now just one win away from the Finals after dismantling the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 108-92, in Game 4 of their own semifinal series.
Jordan Heading played his best game in TNT colors, firing 23 points along with five rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block. His impact was felt all game long, posting a +19 efficiency rating while on the court.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser delivered another double-double performance with 22 points and 11 boards, while Calvin Oftana and Glenn Khobuntin added 16 points each in a strong team effort that pushed TNT to a commanding 3-1 series lead.
With momentum firmly on their side, TNT will try to close it out and punch their ticket to the Finals on Friday, July 4, 5:00 PM at the Big Dome — as they continue their quest for the franchise's first-ever grand slam.
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Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in style, securing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series with a 100-90 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos came up huge with a near triple-double performance—24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists—leading the Gin Kings back on top after dropping Game 2.
Jamie Malonzo added 20 points with four rebounds and two assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 markers alongside seven boards, two dimes, three steals, and two blocks in a vintage two-way showing.
Ginebra also got key contributions from Scottie Thompson and Stephen Holt. Thompson tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, while Holt recorded 10 points, seven boards, and a deflection.
For San Miguel, Don Trollano kept them in the fight with 22 points and three rebounds. JuneMar Fajardo posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three dimes and a block.
CJ Perez and Jericho Cruz added 11 points apiece, while Juami Tiongson rounded out the Beermen’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Ginebra edged SMB 23-20 in the opening quarter, but the Beermen fought back strong in the second to take a 50-46 halftime lead. That momentum didn't last, as Ginebra responded with a commanding 25-14 third period to retake control at 71-64, then sealed the win with a 29-26 finish in the final frame.
“I’m just real proud of the guys for steadying themselves,” said head coach Tim Cone. “We figured a couple of things out. I felt we played with a really good tempo, and then RJ played tremendous down the stretch to keep them at bay.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters broke through in their best-of-seven semi-finals series in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, taking Game 3 in dominant fashion with a 107-86 win over TNT Tropang 5G on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Anton Asistio powered the Elasto Painters with a personal playoff-high 24 points off the bench. He also tallied six assists and a rebound in just under 29 minutes of action, going 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc.
Caelan Tiongson added 16 markers, four rebounds, one assist, and a block, while Keith Datu delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double performance to go with two assists and a rejection.
Leonard Santillan contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrei Caracut chipped in 10 points, four assists, and four steals, helping Rain or Shine build early momentum and keep control through most of the game.
TNT, on the other hand, struggled without RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, and Rey Nambatac. Calvin Oftana led the Tropa with 16 points and eight rebounds but registered a -22 plus-minus while shooting just 1-of-6 from deep. Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 points each.
As widely projected, the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — officially ushering in a new era for the franchise.
Flagg will give a new look at the Dallas franchise after the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles ahead of last season’s trade deadline. The Mavericks got a lot of backlash with that decision, but drafting Flagg—a highly touted prospect out of Duke—offers hope that brighter days are ahead.
The 18-year-old forward will join a retooled Mavericks roster that’s poised to compete right away. He’ll be joined by Anthony Davis, one of the league’s top two-way bigs, and Kyrie Irving, who just inked a three-year extension with the team. Klay Thompson also remains in the fold, bringing his signature shooting and veteran leadership.
Key rotation pieces like Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and P.J. Washington is all expected to return healthy and ready to contribute. Meanwhile, Dallas is reportedly the frontrunner to sign D’Angelo Russell in free agency — a potential offensive boost while Irving works his way back from a season-ending injury suffered in the 2024 playoffs.
Flagg won’t just have talent around him — he’ll also have guidance. He’s set to be coached by Jason Kidd, one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game, now tasked with shaping Flagg into the league’s next franchise superstar.
Draft night got even sweeter for Flagg when two of his Duke teammates also landed in the Top 10. Kon Knueppel went 4th overall to the Charlotte Hornets, while Khaman Maluach was taken 10th by the Phoenix Suns — making it a landmark night for the Blue Devils program.