The San Miguel Beermen broke the game wide open with a powerful 34-point third quarter and held strong in the fourth to end the TNT Tropang 5G’s grand slam bid and capture the championship in the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup on July 25.
Top Performers of the Day:
Junemar Fajardo (SMB C) 24 PTS | 12 REB | 3 AST | 40.9 FPS
JMF was unstoppable, going a perfect 11-of-11 from two-point range while recording his 22nd double-digit rebounding game of the conference. It also marked the eighth time this conference that he posted at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Calvin John Oftana (TNT PF) 19 PTS | 4 REB | 4 STL | 38.3 FPS
Oftana started strong, erupting for 14 points in the first quarter alone, but couldn’t sustain the momentum offensively. However, he made up for it on the defensive end, recording a career-high in steals. He averaged 18 points and 7.8 rebounds across 14 playoff games this conference.
Jaymar Perez (SMB SF) 24 PTS | 3 REB | 6 AST | 37.6 FPS
Perez struggled for most of the series but delivered when it mattered most. He came up huge in the second quarter, scoring 14 points and finished with an efficient 9-of-14 shooting from the field, including 7-of-8 from two-point range and 2-of-3 from the four-point line. It also marked his third straight game in the series with at least five assists.
Kelly Williams (TNT C) 17 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 31.8 FPS
Williams proves to be a reliable scoring option, scoring 9 points in the second quarter and posting double-digit points for the fifth-straight game in the finals.
Jericho Xavier Cruz (SMB SF) 13 PTS | 4 REB | 6 AST | 25.8 FPS
Cruz caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 9 points to spark the team’s run. He has been a game-changer in the finals and has elevated his game over the last four outings, averaging 17 points on 11-of-21 shooting from three. He also made valuable contributions in rebounding and playmaking—earning him his first Finals MVP honors.
Brandon Arnell Ganuelas-Rosser 15 PTS | 3 REB | 4 AST | (TNT PF) 24.6 FPS
BGR was the hero in Game 5, recording 8 stocks, but was less impactful on defense in Game 6, finishing with none. Offensively, he has elevated his performance in the playoffs, scoring in double figures in 7 of his last 9 games.
Christopher Ross (SMB PG) 9 PTS | 6 REB | 2 STL | 23.2 FPS
Ross has stepped up in a big way in the finals, hitting 11-of-21 from the three-point area while consistently making an impact in defense and rebounding.
Moala Tautuaa (SMB C) 10 PTS | 4 REB | 2 BLK | 20.3 FPS
Tautuaa made a major impact in the finals, averaging nearly 10 points with 4.5 rebounds.
Celedonio Trollano (SMB SF) 12 PTS | 4 REB | 2 AST | 18.8 FPS
Trollano scored 10 points in the first half but saw limited minutes after the break. Still, it has been a productive conference for him, averaging 13 points on 55% shooting from two.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Jordan Timothy Heading (TNT PG) 13 PTS | 3 REB | 2 AST
Heading got off to another slow start, scoring just 2 points in the first half. He picked up his game in the second half and scored 8 points in the fourth, but it wasn’t enough to extend the series. He averaged 13 points on 61% shooting from two, along with nearly 4 rebounds and 4 assists over 15 games this conference.
