San Miguel appears to have TNT’s number, but the Beermen are expecting a bumpy road towards preserving a perfect record against the Tropang 5G in the PBA Finals since 2016.
Cjay Perez and the San Miguel Beermen open their PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals campaign against the TNT Tropang 5G on Wednesday, Jan. 21.
Game 1 is set at 7:30 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo as the two proud franchises continue their rivalry.
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This marks the fifth Finals meeting between San Miguel and TNT in the last 10 years, with the Beermen holding a spotless 4–0 record in those championship encounters, including last season’s All-Filipino Finals triumph.
The latest one allowed the Beermen to once again foil TNT’s PBA Grand Slam plans.
For the rematch, San Miguel will still lean on its battle-tested core, led by June Mar Fajardo, Perez, and sixth man Don Trollano, as it seeks to assert early control of the series.
Perez has been the Beermen’s most consistent force throughout the semifinals, averaging 21.83 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.83 assists, capped by a massive 41-point explosion in the series-clinching Game 6 against Ginebra.
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Fajardo, meanwhile, enters the Finals refreshed, saying his left shoulder issue is no longer a concern after getting ample rest ahead of the title showdown.
With Trollano anchoring a deep second unit, San Miguel will look to once again dictate tempo, defend its crown, and remind TNT why the road to the Philippine Cup title has so often run through the Beermen.
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(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.]