CJ Perez powers San Miguel to get back on the winning track
CJ Perez put up 23 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and four steals to lead the San Miguel Beermen get back on the winning track as they beat the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, 85-78, on Sunday night, January 12, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The crucial win ended a two-game slump for San Miguel as they stayed in the hunt for a playoff spot in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup and still have a chance to defend the title that they got last season.
Perez was backed-up by Beermen’s import Jabari Narcis, who tallied 18 markers and grabbed 23 boards, while eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo had 13 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists.
The other two starters, Juami Tiongson and Marcio Lassiter added 13 and 8, respectively, to help SMB improve to 4-4, ahead of NLEX and Phoenix, who both have 3-5 win-loss records.
Jericho Cruz sparked San Miguel’s bench with 10 markers, highlighted by a rare five-point play and a crucial steal in the end game.
"We considered this game as most crucial for us as Magnolia is one our rivals for the Top 8. A loss will slide us to the Bottom 5 but a win will get us to the Top 8," said Beermen head coach Leo Austria.
"This win will be a good morale booster for us, giving us more confidence going to our next game against Meralco (on Saturday in Candon)," he added.
On the other hand, Magnolia fell down to 3-6 in team standings and is now on the brink of being eliminated from playoff contention.
Ricardo Ratliffe paced the Hotshots in the losing cause with 24 points and 15 rebounds, while Mark Barroca added 13 markers and six dimes, in a night where he hit a milestone of playing his 600th consecutive game in the pro league.
Magnolia will be back in action on Thursday, January 16, against the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Philsports Arena, while San Miguel will face the Meralco Bolts on Saturday, January 18, at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.
The Scores:
SAN MIGUEL 85 - Perez 23, Narcis 18, Tiongson 13, Fajardo 13, Cruz 10, Lassiter 8, Ross 0, Brondial 0, Trollano 0, Cahilig 0.
MAGNOLIA 78 - Ratliffe 24, Barroca 13, Lucero 9, Lastimosa 9, Sangalang 6, Dela Rosa 4, Abueva 4, Alfaro 4, Ahanmisi 3, Balanza 2, Dionisio 0, Laput 0.
Quarter Scores: 20-17, 40-29, 60-60, 85-78.
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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.
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.