The San Miguel Beermen put together an epic fourth-quarter comeback, rallying from 11 points down to clinch a 100-93 win and eliminate Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Game 7 of the Philippine Cup semifinals on July 9.
Top Performers of the Day:
June Mar Fajardo (SMB C) 21 PTS | 19 REB | 2 BLK | 56.3 FPS
Fajardo dominated once again in both scoring and rebounding, posting his second straight 20-point game along with 10+ offensive rebounds in the series. He’s recorded 17 double-digit scoring and rebounding games in the conference.
Christopher Ross (SMB PG) 19 PTS | 7 AST | 4 STL | 43.1 FPS
Ross appeared in just four of the first six games of the series but delivered a standout performance in Game 7. He was a major factor in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 crucial points to spark the comeback. Defensively, he continued to shine, totaling 10 steals over his last three games.
Japeth Paul Aguilar (GIN C) 12 PTS | 7 REB | 5 BLK | 39.9 FPS
Japeth’s scoring and rebounding have been up-and-down in this series, but he stepped up on the defensive end in Game 7, recording a season-high in blocks.
Earl Scottie Thompson (GIN SG) 16 PTS | 7 REB | 8 AST | 36.4 FPS
Thompson has been a surprisingly consistent shooter this conference, hitting nearly 45% from long range over 19 games. He kept it going in Game 7, knocking down three straight three-pointers in the third quarter to help put his team in control. He’s also been excellent in the secondary categories, tallying 23 rebounds and 16 assists over the last two games.
Rhon Jay Abarrientos (GIN PG) 16 PTS | 5 REB | 5 AST | 33.5 FPS
RJ struggled in the past few games but stepped up when it mattered, scoring 13 points in the first half. He slowed down in the second half but still found ways to contribute in other areas.
Jamie Malonzo (GIN SF) 22 PTS | 4 REB | 2 AST | 28.8 FPS
Malonzo had a rough performance in Game 6, shooting just 1-for-14 from the fiel,d but he responded strongly, scoring his second 20-point game in the playoffs and 15th in the conference on a highly efficient 8-for-11 shooting.
Moala Tautuaa (SMB C) 14 PTS | 5 REB | 1 STL | 25.0 FPS
Tautuaa provided an offensive boost in the second quarter, scoring 10 points on efficient shooting. It was his third double-digit performance of the playoffs and sixth of the conference.
Celedonio Trollano (SMB SF) 10 PTS | 6 REB | 3 AST | 23.7 FPS
Trollano played a key part in the team’s fourth-quarter rally, scoring 7 points and grabbing multiple rebounds. He’s been a reliable offensive asset in this series, scoring in double-digits in his last six games, including recording 22 points in Game 3.
Biggest Disappointment of the Day:
Jaymar Perez (SMB SF) 15 PTS | 2 REB | 4 AST
Perez averaged 20 points over his last four games, but his efficiency has been lacking, shooting just 12-of-38 from the field, including 0-of-7 from three in his last two outings.
