The San Miguel Beermen looked like a team rounding into playoff form on Tuesday as they bucked a slow start to dominate Meralco, 103-92, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The win leveled San Miguel’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup record to an even 5-5 and kept its top-four finish hopes alive, albeit barely. The loss dropped Meralco to 5-3 and to fifth place in the standings.
What Happened?
Meralco got off to an electrifying start, outscoring San Miguel, 19-2, behind an aggressive Marvin Jones. But the Beermen found their footing soon enough, ending the first quarter on a 22-7 tear to get within 28-24 after 12 minutes. Jones continued his strong play in the second frame to help the Bolts to a 55-48 halftime lead.
San Miguel then turned it up after intermission, holding Meralco scoreless in the first six minutes to start the second half on a 14-0 blast to take a 62-55 lead. That proved to be the cushion the Beermen needed as they kept the Bolts at bay from that point forward. The closest Meralco came was at 80-77 early in the fourth, but a 10-2 spurt gave San Miguel a 90-79 advantage en route to the win.
Who Stood Out?
After a slow first half, June Mar Fajardo came alive after the break and finished with a workmanlike 19-point, 17-rebound double-double. Don Trollano, meanwhile, came off the bench and provided a much-needed spark, tallying 16 markers, most of which came in the second half.
For Meralco, it was Marvin Jones who carried the fight, dialing in 29 points on top of 13 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. Chris Newsome added 18 points and 5 boards.
3 Keys to the Game
- Composure. As in their loss to the Blackwater Bossing, the Beermen again got off to a slow start against Meralco. But the reigning Philippine Cup champs didn’t panic and instead buckled down to work earlier to chip away at the lead.
- Offensive rebounding. The Beermen, with Fajardo leading the way, outrebounded the Bolts, 57-45. Importantly, San Miguel had 19 offensive boards, which it converted to 17 second-chance points. Meralco, in contrast, had 13 rebounds on the offensive glass but just 9 second-chance points.
- Scoring drought. While San Miguel started off super slow, it was Meralco’s scoring drought to open the second half that proved to be the difference. With the Bolts unable to get any basket for six minutes, the Beermen got the lead and never looked back.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, April 29, 2026 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium
Magnolia Hotshots vs. Titan Ultra Giant Risers (5:15 p.m.)
NLEX Road Warriors vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (7:30 p.m.)
