The San Miguel Beermen bucked the absence of June Mar Fajardo and an inspired effort from the Macau Giant Pandas to notch a 123‑109 victory on Tuesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. Fajardo missed the Beermen’s PBA Governors’ Cup debut due to an injured elbow.
What Happened?
After getting thrashed by the Converge FiberXers in their conference debut, the Giant Pandas looked more competitive in this game. In fact, they won the first quarter, 30‑24, on the strength of three early triples and some all‑around inspired play. That strong effort carried over into the second canto, where Macau nearly played San Miguel to a draw, 29‑28, to take a 58‑53 lead into halftime.
San Miguel, though, took control after halftime, starting the third with an 18‑3 run to seize a 71‑61 lead. Macau settled back in thanks to Kobey Lam and Damian Chong Qui, trimming the deficit to 89‑86 at the end of three. The Beermen responded with another strong start in the fourth, with Jerrick Ahanmisi leading a 19‑5 burst that effectively put the game away.
Who Stood Out?
San Miguel hardly felt Fajardo’s absence in part due to the monster all‑around game of backup big Rodney Brondial, who put up 10 points, 25 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block in a yeoman’s effort. George King, Jericho Cruz, Cjay Perez, and Jerrick Ahanmisi, meanwhile, took care of the scoring. King dropped a game‑high 30 in his PBA return to go along with 5 rebounds and 7 assists. Cruz had 20 off the bench, while Perez added 21 markers spiked with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals. Ahanmisi, in his San Miguel debut, fired 16 points with 4 rebounds and 4 assists.
Macau, meanwhile, drew an inspired performance from the backcourt of Chong Qui and Lam. Chong Qui finished with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Lam tallied 22 markers to go along with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.
3 Keys to the Game
- San Miguel’s hot shooting. Thanks in part to good execution and a sterling transition attack, the Beermen shot a blistering 54.5% overall compared to Macau’s 44.2%. Long story short, San Miguel got great looks all game long, and the Beermen made more than they missed. It was also due to great ball movement, with San Miguel registering 29 assists to the Giant Pandas’ 15.
- Interior scoring. Even without JMF, San Miguel dominated the paint, scoring 72 points inside compared to Macau’s 50. This difference had a lot to do with multiple Beermen attacking the rim relentlessly, with King and Perez doing much of the damage.
- Bench play. Even last conference, Macau’s play routinely dipped when the second stringers came in. It was true again on Tuesday, as the Giant Pandas’ reserves could only score 30 compared to the 51 fired by their San Miguel counterparts.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, July 15, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
- Converge FiberXers vs. Terrafirma Dyip (5:15 p.m.)
- Meralco Bolts vs. Phoenix Fuel Masters (7:30 p.m.)
