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BasketballPBA2025 PBA Philippine Cup: San Miguel Disconnects TNT, Champs Once Again

2025 PBA Philippine Cup: San Miguel Disconnects TNT, Champs Once Again

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One big stretch—again—was all it took for the San Miguel Beermen to overpower the TNT Tropang 5G, 107-96, in Game 6 of the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup and reclaim the All-Filipino title it has won 11 times overall. In the process, the Beermen denied TNT of a coveted Grand Slam.

Like in Games 2 and 3, it was the third quarter that proved to be the difference for the Beermen, who outscored TNT 34-20 to stretch a 52-47 halftime lead to an 86-67 advantage going to the final frame. San Miguel held the forth from there, keeping the lead to double-digits the rest of their way en route to their seventh Philippine Cup title in 11 years.

TNT, San Miguel Throw Haymakers in First Half

While San Miguel ran away with the Game 6 victory, the two teams actually went toe-to-toe in the first half, with each throwing haymakers that the other met with haymakers, too. The opening frame, in particular, was an exciting, well-played back-and-forth that saw both TNT and San Miguel at their best as they executed with precision, made tough shots, and played tough defense.

It was much the same story in the second quarter, only this time, San Miguel rode on the hot hands of CJay Perez, who fired 14 of his 16 first half points to make up for his putrid Game 5 stinker to tow the Beermen to a 52-47 halftime lead.

Photo Credit: PBA Rush

June Mar Fajardo, Jericho Cruz Lead the Way 

That tight first half ultimately paved the way for San Miguel’s blistering third quarter led by eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo and sparkplug Jericho Cruz, who combined for 19 of the Beermen’s 34 third quarter points. Back-to-back triples from Cruz—the second with a foul to boot—gave San Miguel its first double-digit lead, 67-56, even as Fajardo asserted his might down low the rest of the way.

Fajardo finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Cruz put up 13 points, 4 boards, and 6 assists, including a couple to Fajardo in the Beermen’s searing second half surge. Cruz was later adjudged as the Finals MVP. Perez, San Miguel’s first half spark in Game 6, wound up with 24 markers to go along with his 3 caroms and 6 dimes.

Calvin Oftana topscored for TNT with 19 points, while Kelly Williams added 17 in another yeoman’s work for the Tropa. Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser chipped in 15 markers, Jordan Heading and Almond Vosotros had 13 each, and RR Pogoy scored 12.

The scores:

San Miguel (107) – Fajardo 24, Perez 24, Cruz 13, Trollano 12, Tautuaa 10, Ross 9, Lassiter 7, Brondial 4, Tiongson 4, Teng 0

TNT (96) – Oftana 19, Williams 17, Ganuelas-Rosser 15, Heading 13, Vosotros 13, Pogoy 12, Khobuntin 5, Aurin 2, Heruela 0, Galinato 0

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Martin Dale D. Bolima
Martin Dale D. Bolima
Martin is an avid sports fan with a fondness for basketball and two bum knees. He has been a professional writer-editor since 2006, starting out in academic publishing before venturing out to sportswriting and into writing just about anything. If it were up to him, he’d gladly play hoops for free and write for a fee.

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