SMB keeps dynasty alive with 31st PBA championship crown

Fifty PBA seasons, Thirty-one San Miguel Beermen championships.

Continuing their long reign in Philippine basketball history, the San Miguel Beermen cemented their status as the most decorated franchise after running roughshod against perennial rivals TNT Tropang 5G with a 92–77 statement win for a back-to-back Philippine Cup title in Game 6 of the PBA Season 50, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Feb. 1.

SMB sealed their title defense with a 4–2 series win, capturing its 12th All-Filipino title and 31st championship.

Cornerstone veteran June Mar “The Kraken” Fajardo was a man on a mission all night, drilling a monstrous double-double built on 29 points and 23 rebounds, as he was lauded as the first Ramon Fernandez PBA Finals MVP recipient.

“Malaking karangalan na makuha ang Ramon Fernandez Trophy,” said the 36-year-old Cebuano as he expressed reverence to the 19-time too-Visayan legend.

San Miguel mettle didn’t show a sliver of mercy in the first frame as the Kraken wreaked havoc through a weak TNT perimeter defense to zoom into 18–2, before Marcio Lassiter downed two hoops from rainbow country to wedge the lead, 26–10.

The Beermen found stability behind a seasoned CJ Perez surge as he drilled 11 points to storm early and stay in control entering the second half with a 49–39 cushion.

However, TNT proved to be a tough nut to crack as a hell-bent John-Paul Erram-Oftana duo took control of the third quarter, combining for 16 points to erase SMB’s hard work into 70-68.

But Fajardo answered with consecutive inside baskets to steady the Beermen, while Perez added a timely bank shot and free throw to stretch the lead to 80–73 and keep San Miguel in command down the stretch.

Perez finished with 19 points, while Rodney Brondial added 15 points and 19 rebounds to bolster San Miguel’s title-clinching effort.

Oftana led TNT with 28 points, while Jordan Heading chipped in 14, but the Tropang 5G ultimately fell short in their bid for redemption.

With another title in their name, the Beermen look to tighten their hold on their dynastic rule in the upcoming Commissioner’s Cup.

With reports from PBA.ph