San Miguel secured its place in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup playoffs with a dominant 135-115 win over Terrafirma on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The victory marked the Beermen’s eighth straight triumph and showcased their lethal form.
CJ Perez sparked the rally, scoring 17 of his game-high 26 points in the third quarter to lift San Miguel out of an early sluggish start.
June Mar Fajardo added his second career triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, while the Beermen’s bench contributed 88 points, with Jericho Cruz and Jeron Teng leading the charge.
(C) PBA Images
The win improved San Miguel’s record to 8-2, guaranteeing at least the No. 2 seed in the playoffs and keeping the possibility of a top-seed finish alive, depending on Rain or Shine’s result against Ginebra.
Securing a spot in the top four ensures a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, something coach Leo Austria said has been the team’s goal since the start of the conference.
“Reaching the top four has always been our target. Now we just have to keep working because every team is tough,” Austria said.
Terrafirma made things challenging early, using crisp passing and sharp shooting to open a 19-8 lead.
But San Miguel regained control in the second quarter, with Perez leading the charge to give the Beermen a 69-59 advantage midway through the third.
(C) PBA Images
Even after Perez exited with under five minutes remaining in the period, San Miguel’s rotation, including JM Calma, Cruz, and Don Trollano, kept the momentum, extending the lead to 95-80 heading into the final frame.
Despite the loss, Austria praised Terrafirma’s effort.
“They played hard in the first half. You can’t take any team lightly,” he said.
Terrafirma fell to 1-10, dropping their ninth straight game, while San Miguel now prepares for their final elimination-round matchup against Meralco on Friday, looking to carry their momentum into the playoffs.
The Scores:
San Miguel 135 – Perez 26, Cruz 17, Teng 15, Trollano 14, Tautuaa 12, Calma 11, Fajardo 10, Lassiter 8, Tiongson 6, Miller 4, Cahilig 3, Mantua 2, Brondial 2, Ross 1.
Terrafirma 115 –M.Ahanmisi 20, Hernandez 19, J.Ahanmisi 16, Sangalang 14, Nonoy 11, Olivario 9, Zaldivar 8, Bravo 6, Rivero 6, Mariano 6, Eriobu 0, Catapusan 0, Paraiso 0.
Quarterscores: 18-26, 52-46, 95-80, 135-115.
