The San Miguel Beermen pulled away in the third quarter and held off a fourth quarter charge to secure a commanding 108-88 victory over the TNT Tropang 5G and take a 2-1 series lead in Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals on July 18.
Top Performers of the Game:
June Mar Fajardo (SMB C) 33 PTS | 11 REB | 3 AST | 54.7 FPS
JMF was unstoppable in Game 3, delivering his conference-high performance while shooting an impressive 12-of-14 on two-pointers and 9-of-11 from the free-throw line. He’s been on fire throughout the series, averaging 25.3 points on 72% shooting from the field. He also continues to dominate the boards, averaging nearly 14 rebounds per game in the conference, including almost 6 on the offensive end.
Calvin John Oftana (TNT PF) 15 PTS | 9 REB | 1 STL | 24.8 FPS
Oftana scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting through the first three quarters but struggled to maintain his rhythm down the stretch. He’s been cold in the fourth quarter over the last two games, going a combined 0-of-9 from the field. Despite that, he’s made up for it on the boards, averaging 8.3 rebounds in the series.
Christopher Ross (SMB PG) 15 PTS | 6 REB | 1 STL | 24.4 FPS
Ross was a major factor on defense in Game 2 but came through on offense in Game 3, shooting 4-of-7 from long range, including hitting two clutch three-pointers in the fourth quarter to help seal the win.
Glenn Khobuntin (TNT PF) 13 PTS | 5 REB | 2 AST | 22.0 FPS
Khobuntin provided a much-needed spark, scoring 11 points in the first half. This marked his first double-digit scoring performance of the finals and his fifth of the playoffs.
Moala Tautuaa (SMB C) 9 PTS | 5 REB | 1 STL | 20.0 FPS
Tautuaa continues to make a strong impact on both ends, contributing in scoring and rebounding. However, he was less involved in the offense in Game 3, ending his stretch of three-straight games with double-digit points.
Kelly Williams (TNT C) 11 PTS | 2 REB | 2 STL | 19.4 FPS
Williams continues to contribute offensively, averaging 10 points in the series while also making an impact in other areas. He’s been just as impressive on defense, totaling five steals in three games. However, he wasn’t as productive on the boards in Game 3, putting up his least productive rebounding performance for the second time in the playoffs.
Roger Ray Pogoy (TNT SG) 16 PTS | 3 REB | 1 AST | 19.1 FPS
Pogoy posted his lowest scoring performance of the conference in their Game 2 loss but bounced back today, recording his fifth game in the playoffs with at least 15 points. However, his three-point shooting has been a problem in the last two games, going 2-for-10.
Jericho Xavier Cruz (SMB SF) 13 PTS | 3 3PM | 3 AST | 15.5 FPS
Cruz had not scored in double figures in his last four games, but he found his rhythm in the second quarter, putting up 9 points. He also shot 3-of-4 from long range after going 0-for-7 over the previous three games.
Almond Vosotros (TNT PG) 14 PTS | 1 REB | 14.2 FPS
Vosotros didn’t see any action in the first two games of the series but he came up big in Game 3, scoring 11 points on 3-for-4 shooting from three in the fourth quarter.
Biggest Disappointment of the Game:
Jaymar Perez (SMB SF) 12 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL
Perez had a rough start, going 0-for-6 from the field, but he picked it up late in the second quarter by scoring six points to power a 13-5 run. Still, his scoring remains below his usual standards, after averaging nearly 18 points per game in the semifinals.
