June Mar Fajardo is out to continue imposing his dominance as San Miguel shoots for a 2-1 lead against Ginebra in the best-of-seven PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals.
June Mar Fajardo once again stands at the center of San Miguel's fight as it seeks to grab the upper hand against Brgy. Ginebra in Game 3 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals Friday, Jan. 9.
Match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, following the TNT-Meralco clash in the other semifinal pairing.
After suffering a loss in the opener that stopped their 10-game winning streak, the Beermen regained control in Game 2 with a 93–84 victory, leaning heavily on Fajardo’s dominance inside.
[RELATED STORY: PBA: Cone sees no positives in Ginebra loss to San Miguel in PH Cup semis Game 2]
The nine-time Most Valuable Player delivered 21 points and 23 rebounds, becoming the first local player to register three straight 20–20 games, anchoring San Miguel on both ends.
While Fajardo set the tone, it was Jeron Teng who slammed the door shut in the fourth quarter, pouring 12 of his 13 points during the decisive stretch.
[ALSO READ: Ranidel de Ocampo's jersey to be retired by TNT during semis Game 3: “Masarap 'pag natatawag kang legend’]
Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz also bounced back from quiet Game 1 outings, contributing 12 and 11 points, respectively.
Buoyed by their Game 2 response, the Beermen now look to sustain their showing as they aim to seize the lead over the Gin Kings in the race-to-four showdown.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
—
[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]