With June Mar Fajardo yet to gain full strength, the San Miguel Beermen's depth will be put to test anew against Barangay Ginebra in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals.
With their return to Finals hopes hanging in the balance, the San Miguel Beermen will look to even the series when they face the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday, July 2.
Gametime is set at 5 p.m. at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. Fans can watch it live on One Sports' YouTube channel.
[RELATED STORY: RJ Abarrientos puts on fourth-quarter show as Ginebra goes 2-1 vs SMB in PBA PH Cup semis]
Down 2-1 in the best-of-seven clash, the Beermen are aiming to bounce back after a tough 90-100 loss in Game 3--where they simply had no answers for the Gin Kings’ fourth-quarter rampage led by RJ Abarrientos.
Don Trollano delivered a game-high 22 points in the losing effort, while CJay Perez continued his steady output.
But with June Mar Fajardo still laboring through a right calf injury and clearly not at full strength, San Miguel needs its bench to produce and its wings to carry the scoring load.
Fajardo's limited mobility has forced head coach Leo Austria to lean more heavily on the likes of Mo Tautuaa, Jericho Cruz, and Marcio Lassiter to fill the void.
But against a Ginebra side brimming with confidence and momentum, San Miguel must rediscover its defensive discipline and execute sharper down the stretch.
With the series heading into a critical stage, the Beermen understand what’s at stake. A win on Wednesday would reset the series and restore the balance of power between two of the league’s most storied franchises. A loss, and San Miguel finds itself on the brink of elimination.
[ALSO READ: Calvin Oftana takes over for TNT in PBA PH Cup semis, earns fourth Player of the Week honor]
(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.]