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Beermen unplug Bolts in Sweet Semis Revenge San Miguel made sure history would not repeat itself.
With their redemption arc on the line, the San Miguel Beermen (SMB) handed a 108-97 demolition to defending champions Meralco Bolts to clinch a semifinal berth in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, June 20.
Rodney Brondial flashed his all-around brilliance with a gritty double-double of 13 points and 12 boards, earning him Player of the Game.
Eight time MVP June Mar Fajardo imposed his dominance in the paint with 23 points, 15 boards, and four swats, anchoring San Miguelโs interior on both ends while CJ Perez orchestrated the offense with 14 points and nine dimes, pushing the pace and disrupting Meralcoโs rhythm.
Beermen blitzed the Bolts with a 12-2 start and built a 15-point cushion, 35-20, behind Perezโs playmaking and Don Trollanoโs drives, while Fajardo added eight quick points inside.
The ChrisesโNewsome and Bancheroโtried to plug the leaks as the Boltsโ ship rocked early in the second frame, combining for timely buckets that trimmed the lead to single digits, but Brondial's putbacks and hustle plays helped San Miguel hold a 58-44 advantage at the half.
The Bolts surged back in the third, sparking a run with gritty hustle plays that trimmed the deficit to just three, 72โ75.
However, Juami Tiongson calmly sank two free throws to end the quarter, giving the Beermen some much-needed breathing room at 81โ75.
The Beermen then launched a 10-2 burst in the final canto, sparked by Brondialโs second-chance conversions and Perezโs coast-to-coast attack, breaking the game wide open.
Don Trollano buried a dagger triple to push the lead to 100-82 with under five minutes left in the shot clock as Moala Tautuaa and Brondial closed the paint, grabbing boards to keep Meralco from mounting any comeback, ending the game with a 108-97 victory.
Chris Banchero blitzed the stat sheet with a game-high 32 points and 5 rebounds, but his offensive eruption wasnโt enough to salvage Meralcoโs playoff hopes.
In the post-game presser, San Miguel coach Leo Austria reflected on the win and the mission ahead, โThis is all about pride, because we know that in the last championship, Meralco beat us,โ said Austria.
โWe redeemed ourselves from that loss,โ he added. With their quarterfinal mission complete, the Beermen now brace for a semifinal showdown against Barangay Ginebraโjust two wins away from reclaiming their place in the All-Filipino finals they once dominated.
