The red-hot San Miguel Beermen took the floor on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Montalban looking for their fifth straight win in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup. Standing in their way were the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, who were looking for back-to-back wins themselves. But in the end, the Beermen proved too good for the upset-seeking Giant Risers, pulling out a 158-117 demolition of Titan Ultra in a game that was over after one half.
What Happened?
San Miguel unleashed a trio of double-digit runs in the first half alone: 12-0 to start the game, 10-0 to start the second quarter, and 21-0 to end the half. When the carnage was over, the Beermen had built a commanding 79-38 lead going into intermission, and it proved to be the separation they needed to secure their fifth consecutive victory after starting the conference 0-2.
Who Stood Out?
CJay Perez typified San Miguel’s dominance with a red-hot first half as he fired 24 points on 7-for-10 shooting anchored on 3-for-3 from the four-point line in the first 24 minutes of play. He finished with 26. Jericho Cruz was equally hot, finishing with 24 points on a hyper-efficient 8-for-9 from the field. June Mar Fajardo, meanwhile, posted a rather quiet triple-double of 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists as he ceded most of the load to Cruz, Perez, and the rest of the Beermen.
Joshua Munzon tried to carry the Titan Ultra flag, putting up 20 points. Calvin Abueva, meanwhile, looked primed for another beastly outing after scoring 8 early points and grabbing 3 rebounds. But foul trouble sidelined Abueva for most of the first half, and he couldn’t get going after that, finishing with 16 points and 10 boards.
3 Keys to the Game
- CJay Perez. The Predator was spectacular in this game, and his 24 first-half points proved to be the spark the Beermen needed.
- Defense. While San Miguel’s offense was on point, its defense was equally superb, holding down the Giant Risers to xx% from the field. Put simply, the Beermen’s smothering defense didn’t let Titan Ultra get any rhythm at any point in the game.
- Bench play. Perez got the ball rolling for the Beermen, then Cruz and the bench continued the onslaught. In all, six Beermen came off the bench to score in double digits, led by Cruz’s 24 and Don Trollano’s 20.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA Philippine Cup takes the action back to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday with another slam-bang twinbill. Opening the action will be the Blackwater Bossing and Magnolia Hotshots in a battle of league leaders and bottom dwellers. The nightcap will feature Barangay Ginebra San Miguel taking on the Converge FiberXers in a battle of early-season favorites.
Magnolia vs. Blackwater (5:15 p.m.)
Ginebra vs. Converge (7:30 p.m.)
