San Miguel regroups as the Beermen look to regain lead in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals against Brgy. Ginebra.
The San Miguel Beermen head into Game 5 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals determined to regain the upper hand as they face Brgy. Ginebra on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[WATCH: PBA LIVESTREAM: Ginebra vs San Miguel | Philippine Cup semis Game 5]
After surrendering a 105–91 loss in Game 4, San Miguel finds itself back at square one in a series now tied 2–2 and with momentum swinging sharply toward the Gin Kings.
Despite the defeat, the Beermen showed early promise.
San Miguel appeared poised for a runaway start after storming to a 16-point first-quarter lead, fueled by hot perimeter shooting from CJ Perez and Chris Ross, who buried four three-pointers each in the opening frame.
Perez finished with 22 points, three rebounds, and three assists, while Ross added 20 points, with both guards connecting on five triples apiece. Jericho Cruz chipped in 15 points, providing additional scoring punch.
However, San Miguel’s offense stalled as the game progressed—particularly in the paint.
June Mar Fajardo endured another difficult scoring night, managing just nine points on 3-of-14 shooting while playing through a left shoulder injury.
Still, the nine-time MVP made his presence felt elsewhere, hauling in 20 rebounds and tallying five assists, a steal, and a block.
The Beermen also failed to get a repeat performance from Don Trollano, who was limited to eight points after erupting for 33 in Game 3.
As the series tightens, San Miguel will look for a more balanced effort and a stronger interior showing to counter Ginebra’s energy and execution.
With the margin for error shrinking, Game 5 presents a critical opportunity for the Beermen to reassert themselves and reclaim momentum in this classic rivalry.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[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.]