Rodney Brondial was the unsung hero in the San Miguel Beermen’s PBA Philippine Cup title conquest, dishing out a pair of huge double-doubles in the final two games to help the league’s winningest franchise add to its glorious lore.
The 6-foot-5 slotman posted 17 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks in Game 5 as he and Kris Rosales sparked San Miguel to a 96-82 victory over the TNT Tropang 5G and a 3-2 lead. He then followed it up with a 15-point, 13-rebound double-double to help the Beermen clinch the title in Game 6.
It was a special couple of games for Brondial, who said afterward that he was simply doing his job.
“Sa totoo lang, ginagawa ko lang naman yung trabaho ko. Wala namang special dun,” Brondial told reporters after San Miguel won the title on Sunday. “Nagkatoon lang siguro na gustong-gusto talaga namin manalo…. Lagi lang mindset ko is matulungan si June Mar [Fajardo], matulungan yung defense namin. Mga intangibles talaga. Bonus na lang sa akin yung scoring…”
Rodney Brondial Grateful for Chance Given by ‘Boss Al’
Brondial also admitted he’s just repaying San Miguel team governor Al Chua for trusting him enough to sign him back in 2022, when the slotman got a new lease on PBA life with San Miguel after parting ways with the Alaska Aces.
“Napakalaki ng utang na loob ko kay boss Al kasi nung umalis ako sa Alaska, alam naman natin, so siya ‘yung nilapitan ko,” Brondial recounted. “Sabi ko, baka pwede po ako. Hindi naman ako nag-dalawang salita. Pinagbigyan niya ako. Tsaka sa mga hindi nakakaalam, napakabait niyang tao… Grabe siya sumuporta. Pag humirit ka sa kanya, hindi ka paghi-hindian. Siguro binabalik ko lang yung tiwala na binigay niya.”
After two big double-doubles in the PBA’s biggest, grandest stage, it looks like Rodney Brondial has repaid that trust really well.
