Japeth Aguilar easily dispatched Converge young bigs Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar. But the real test awaits in the semifinals where he will square off against eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo.
Barangay Ginebra kicks off its PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinal series against powerhouse San Miguel Beermen on Wednesday, June 25 at 7:30 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Fans can catch the game live on One Sports’ YouTube channel.
[RELATED STORY: Nightmare over for Don Trollano as San Miguel ousts Meralco as Philippine Cup champion]
Led by a rejuvenated Japeth Aguilar, the Gin Kings are eyeing a return to the championship stage—and their first All-Filipino crown since 2020.
Aguilar powered Ginebra past the towering frontline of Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar in the quarterfinals, securing the right to face top-seeded San Miguel in the penultimate round.
[ALSO READ: Aguilar stands tall vs Arana, Baltazar as Ginebra eliminates Converge in PBA Philippine Cup]
Ginebra finished the elimination round as the No. 4 seed, claiming a crucial twice-to-beat advantage and making good on it with a strong playoff debut.
Now, the mission is clear: break through after two straight Finals losses to TNT earlier this season.
San Miguel, the 10-time Philippine Cup champion, is equally determined after falling short of the title last year. But with momentum and motivation on its side, Ginebra hopes its time has come again.
[ALSO READ: Austria, San Miguel salvage pride in PBA PH Cup QF win vs Meralco: 'We redeemed ourselves’]
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]