December 09, 2024

PBA: June Mar Fajardo posts 20-20 as San Miguel ends Terrafirma's dream run, enters semis

PBA: June Mar Fajardo posts 20-20 as San Miguel ends Terrafirma
June Mar Fajardo shows the way for San Miguel in its winner-take-all quarterfinal match against Terrafirma. | Photo (c) PBA

San Miguel needed two quarters to get its bearing going and dispose of Terrafirma, 110-91, to book a PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup semifinal seat on Wednesday, May 12. 

June Mar Fajardo posted a monstrous 25-point, 22-rebound performance as the Beermen now await the winner between TNT and Rain or Shine in the other quarterfinal pairing.

After a tight first half, the Beermen went on an 18-3 tear to jumpstart action in the third period and build a 15-point lead, 63-48.

San Miguel June Mar Fajardo outduels Terrafirma counterpart Isaac Go this time around. | Photo (c) PBA

[ALSO READ: PBA: Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser suffers ACL injury, will sit out TNT's knockout Game 3 vs. ROS]

Since then, the Dyip just struggled to conjure some magic to turn things around.

  

Terrafirma could only get as close as 76-87 on Andreas Cahilig's basket with 7:11 remaining in the fourth period. 

But the Beermen, eager to avenge their loss to the same team in their first quarterfinal encounter, 95-106, last Saturday, retaliated with a 9-to-nothing blast to build a 96-76 buffer they never relinquished. 

[WATCH: PBA Game Highlights: No. 8 Terrafirma stuns top seed San Miguel for first ever playoff win]

"'Yung execution namin, OK sa second half. 'Yung depensa namin, tinaasan pa namin. 'Yun siguro 'yung kaibahan ng first half at second half," said Fajardo, as his squad pulled away from a 45-44 count at the half.

[ALSO READ: PBA: Terrafirma big man Isaac Go embraces challenge of facing San Miguel's 7-time MVP June Mar Fajardo]

 

Fajardo did not carry San Miguel on his broad shoulders alone.

Terrence Romeo put in 19 points on 3-for-7 shooting from the three-point area, while CJ Perez had 18 markers, eight assists and six rebounds.

Don Trollano added 18 points, including the baskets in the final stretch that doused comeback attempts by the Dyip.


Terrafirma leader Juami Tiongson cannot find the answer to the surging San Miguel as the Beermen display their championship form Wednesday, May 15. | Photo (c) PBA

 Javi Gomez de Liano fired 23 points and grabbed six rebounds as Terrafirma ended its Cinderella run. 

Stephen Holt went on a 7-for-16 shooting clip while Juami Tiongson logged 6-for-17 as each produced 18 points.

Isaac Go struggled with a 3-for-8 scoring for seven points after coming up with a career-best 22 last Saturday, May 11, that forced Wednesday's sudden death.


The Scores:

SAN MIGUEL 110 – Fajardo 25, Romeo 19, Perez 18, Trollano 18, Cruz 11, Lassiter 8, Ross 5, Tautuaa 4, Brondial 2, Enciso 0

TERRAFIRMA 91 – Gomez de Liano 23, Holt 18, Tiongson 18, Cahilig 12, Go 7, Camson 7, Carino 4, Ramos 2, Alolino 0, Mina 0, Sangalang 0

Quarterscores: 20-25, 45-44, 79-66, 110-91

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