• San Miguel Beermen shoot for a pivotal 3-1 lead vs TNT Tropang Giga in Game 4 of the best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup Finals.
July 20, Sunday – Mall of Asia Arena
- 7:30pm – Best Player of Conference Awarding
- 7:35pm – San Miguel Beermen vs TNT Tropang 5G
Chris Ross
Game 4 could virtually decide the outcome of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals in San Miguel Beer’s favor, unless TNT’s does something dramatic to turn things around and level the series at 2-2 amid injuries and its ballhandling woes.
“We just take it as it is. We have to find a way,” Tropang 5G coach Chot Reyes said going into Sunday’s 7:30 p.m. encounter at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Since winning the series opener marred by a Mo Tautuaa dunk that was nullified due to a basket interference in controversial fashion, TNT has been forced to play catch-up against a San Miguel team thriving with a number of players stepping up.
Marcio Lassiter
Over the last decade, San Miguel Beer has been the established power of the PBA Philippine Cup, ruling the league’s crown jewel with an iron gauntlet.
And at this stage of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals, San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria looks every bit the wielder of that gauntlet—his version of Thanos—with a few trusty Infinity Stones still in its place.
Once, Austria wielded his fabled “Death 5,” a unit that sowed fear in opponents in every all-Filipino tournament. Now, only three remain: Chris Ross, June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter. And though time has softened their shine, they’ve began lighting up again.
San Miguel Beermen’s June Mar Fajardo and Moala Tuatuaa during Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against TNT Tropang 5G. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
After powering his way to 33 points in putting San Miguel Beer up 2-1 in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals with a 108-88 win, June Mar Fajardo insists that TNT remains a tough cookie to crack despite being hit with another shortage in manpower.
“They’re still tough, even without Poy (Erram),” Fajardo said in Filipino after the Beermen won a second straight game on Friday against the Tropang 5G that played minus Erram due to a right ankle sprain sustained two nights ago.
Fajardo managed to get his scoring numbers despite facing Kelly Williams, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Henry Galinato in the paint as San Miguel fashioned out the authoritative victory after its other weapons like Chris Ross, Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano and Mo Tautuaa sparked a pull away after the break.
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