CJay Perez scored 31 points in the Game 5 win over Ginebra in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals. The Beermen wants a safe passage to the Finals.
With a trip to the Finals within reach, San Miguel Beer is intent on slamming the door shut on Ginebra.
Riding the explosive performances of CJay Perez and Jericho Cruz, the Beermen aim to close out their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series against Barangay Ginebra in Game 6 on Sunday, July 6.
Gametime is set at 5:00 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[RELATED STORY: Jericho Cruz steps up big time, pushes San Miguel to cusp of PBA Philippine Cup Finals return]
San Miguel leads the best-of-seven duel, 3-2, after pulling off a composed 103-92 win in Game 5. Perez came through with a masterful 31-point outing, while Cruz added 27 to help the Beermen bounce back from a sluggish start and outgun the Gin Kings.
Anchoring the middle was June Mar Fajardo, who appears to be rounding into form just in time. Still recovering from a right calf injury sustained in Game 1, the eight-time MVP chipped in 14 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and three blocks in a well-rounded performance.
[ALSO READ: Injured Scottie Thompson says no excuses as Ginebra bows to SMB in Game 5 of PBA semis]
But even with momentum on their side, head coach Leo Austria remains cautious.
“Game 5 was pivotal, malaki ang tsansa to get to the [Finals] kung sino ang makakuha nito,” said Austria. “But we still have a lot of work to do especially ang kalaban natin eh 'Never Say Die.’”
San Miguel is now just one win away from a return trip to the All-Filipino Finals after bowing to Meralco in last season’s edition. And with their championship core regaining rhythm—and their stars catching fire—the Beermen know they have a golden chance to punch their ticket on Sunday.
[ALSO READ: Tim Cone on Ginebra's Game 5 loss to SMB in PBA semis: 'I thought we had a chance to win’]
(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.]