The San Miguel Beermen led by as much as 24 and cruised to a convincing 111-92 win over the TNT Tropang 5G to tie the PBA Philippine Cup Finals series at 1-1 on January 23.
Here are the players who made the biggest impact and the stats to prove it:
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
June Mar Fajardo SMB C 17 PTS | 16 REB | 1 BLK | 41.7 FPS
JMF continues to be the best player in the series, recording another big double-double. In three games against TNT this conference, he’s been a force, averaging 18 points and nearly 17 rebounds.
Brandon Arnell Ganuelas-Rosser TNT PF 15 PTS | 6 REB | 5 AST | 34.7 FPS
BGR has elevated his offensive game in the playoffs, recording his sixth double-digit scoring outing in eight games. He’s clearly capable of sustaining this level of production but he continues to struggle with fouls.
Celedonio Trollano SMB SF 22 PTS | 4 REB | 1 STL | 29.3 FPS
Trollano more than made up for his poor showing in Game 1, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from two-point range to finish with a game-high output. Despite a solid run in the elimination rounds, he has yet to consistently find his rhythm in the playoffs. Still, he remains an elite scoring threat, recording three 20-point games.
Moala Tautuaa SMB C 14 PTS | 4 REB | 1 BLK | 24.8 FPS
Mo continues to make his presence felt in the starting lineup, delivering another solid offensive outing. Unless TNT adjusts and finds a way to slow him down, securing a Game 3 win will be much tougher.
Jericho Xavier Cruz SMB SG 12 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 22.8 FPS
Despite his struggles from three, the reigning Finals MVP still turned in another well-rounded performance. With Perez not at his most effective in the Finals, SMB will likely lean more on Cruz to provide stability.
Jiovani Jalalon TNT PG 7 PTS | 7 AST | 1 STL | 21.9 FPS
The veteran guard missed Game 1 due to illness but made an immediate impact in Game 2, finishing with his third seven-assist outing of the conference. He hasn’t seen much playing time this playoffs—with TNT leaning more toward Enciso and his shooting, but he remains a key piece of the rotation.
Jordan Timothy Heading TNT SG 14 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 21.1 FPS
Heading delivered another respectable outing, but TNT will need a bigger lift from him to move ahead in the series. Much of that will come down to his outside shooting, where he’s struggled at just 3-for-12 over the first two games.
Rey Benedict Nambatac TNT PG 17 PTS | 1 REB | 2 AST | 20.2 FPS
Despite some ups and downs this conference, Nambatac remains a real threat on offense, finishing with a team-high in points.
John Rodney Brondial SMB C 6 PTS | 12 REB | 19.4 FPS
Brondial was a game-changer on the glass, powering SMB to a +15 rebounding advantage and fueling a +17 margin in second-chance points.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Calvin John Oftana TNT SF 11 PTS | 3 AST | 1 BLK
It was another rough night for Oftana, marking his fifth consecutive subpar-scoring game. His turnover issues also persisted, as he recorded 5 for the third-straight game while making minimal impact in other areas.
