Meralco beat San Miguel in six games to claim the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup title. The Beermen returned the favor by ousting the Bolts as champions in Season 49.
Chris Newsome gave Simon Enciso a nudge so he could receive the ball and go to the opposite direction. Don Trollano then made sure he was there to front Newsome, who took two steps before taking a shot he does thousand times in practice and in games.
Newsome swished the baseline jumper and Meralco dethroned San Miguel in six games in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup Finals.
Last year's championship-sealing shot in his face haunted Trollano for a long time.
“Syempre yung last shot ni Newsome ako yung nandun eh. So parang hina-haunt ako nun until now,” he said.
But Trollano and the Beermen exacted revenge on the Bolts, unseating Meralco as Philippine Cup champions with a quick victory in the quarterfinals of the Season 49 playoffs.
Thanks to that win, the nightmare is now over for Trollano.
“Buti nga nakabawi,” he said after scoring 19 points in San Miguel's 108-97 win last June 20.
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Trollano later said he was simply trying to repay his coaches’ trust.
“Sinusuklian ko lang tiwala ni coach, yung mga coaches, yung management. Ayaw ko sayangin tiwala nila,” he said.
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But the job’s not done for Trollano and the Beermen, who are looking to restore their All-Filipino dominance.
With the win against the Bolts, San Miguel set up what is expected to be a titanic semifinal clash against Ginebra.
The best-of-seven series begins on Wednesday, June 25 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
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