Beermen claim Comm’s Cup crown as Hotshots fade late in Game 6
San Miguel demonstrated their championship spirit on Valentine’s Day.
Despite trailing for most of the game, the Beermen drained timely three-pointers towards the end to secure a 104-102 victory over Magnolia in Game 6 of the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, February 14.
Jericho Cruz, Chris Ross, and CJ Perez each made crucial three-pointers during a spirited fourth-quarter surge that allowed San Miguel to overcome a double-digit deficit and claim their record-extending 29th crown.
Despite early foul trouble, Perez, honored as the Best Player of the Conference, delivered an outstanding performance with a playoffs career-high of 28 points, including 24 in the last two quarters.
June Mar Fajardo also made significant contributions with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Bennie Boatwright showcased an all-around game with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists despite struggling with his shooting accuracy.
Although Magnolia fought back fiercely and Aris Dionisio made a critical three-pointer to keep them within reach, they were unable to secure a defensive stop after Perez missed two crucial free throws.
In a pivotal moment, Cruz secured the rebound and deliberately ran down the clock before being fouled. Despite splitting his free throws, this proved decisive in fending off Magnolia and securing SMB head coach Jorge Gallent’s first PBA title in his inaugural conference at the helm.
The Beermen had multiple standout performers, with Cruz and Don Trollano notching 12 and 10 points respectively, while Ross overcame a lackluster conference to contribute 9 points.
On the opposing side, Paul Lee led the Hotshots with 25 points but fell short of maintaining their lead despite an early advantage of up to 11 points in the final period.
Tyler Bey also made a significant contribution with 18 points and 8 rebounds, while Ian Sangalang finished with 16 points in a losing effort.
The scores:
San Miguel 104 – Perez 28, Boatwright 19, Fajardo 19, Cruz 12, Trollano 10, Ross Tautuaa 4, 9, Enciso 2, Teng 1, Lassiter 0.
Magnolia 102 – Lee 25, Bey 18, Sangalang 16, Jalalon 12, Barroca 11, Dela Rosa 9, Dionisio 7, Abueva 4, Tratter 0, Escoto 0.
Quarterscores: 22-26, 46-51, 73-82, 104-102.
