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SMB sweeps Ginebra, makes PBA Finals return

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Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="San Miguel’s Bennie Boatwright. Photo from PBA Images." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/sports/01/28/01282024-san-miguel-bennie-boatwright.jpg"/><figcaption>San Miguel’s Bennie Boatwright. Photo from PBA Images.</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA (UPDATED) — The San Miguel Beermen are back in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals.SMB eliminated Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 94-91, in front of 15,126 fans during their Game 3 semifinals showdown at the MOA Arena in Pasay City on Sunday. Bennie Boatwright broke the hearts of the Barangay after he fired 26 points and 13 rebounds, while also shooting 6-of-12 from beyond the arc, as they made quick work of Ginebra whom they swept in three games.“It’s just composure. The players were very composed, especially in the endgame,” said San Miguel mentor Jorge Gallent, who will be entering the PBA finals for the first time as a head coach in his career.”Games 1, 2, and 3, it was anybody&#x27;s ballgame. But we came up with victory because of our composure. That’s our mentality, not to lose, and execute plays, especially in the end game.”San Miguel also dethroned the defending conference champions after this win, but Gallent downplayed this feat, especially since they are still four wins away from clinching the championship.”It was anybody’s ballgame. It was very nice to come out with the victory in the end, but we were just composed, which was good. Coming into this series, our mentality was just to move forward,” he emphasized.Aiding in the win was Jericho Cruz who had 17 points, Marcio Lassiter who got 14, and June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez who scored 11 markers each.After a close encounter in the first 30 minutes of action, the Beermen distanced themselves from the Gin Kings in the final canto, with SMB making a late run to create a 90-79 lead following a trey by Perez at the 4:48 mark.Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, and Christian Standhardinger tried to claw back and brought Ginebra to within three with still 39.7 ticks left, but that was the closest that they could get as the Gin Kings eventually bid their Commissioner&#x27;s Cup title defense goodbye.Tony Bishop spearheaded the Ginebra’s offensive with 25 points, eight rebounds, and two assists, Thompson led the locals with 17 markers, nine boards, and five dimes, while Aguilar, Standhardinger, and Malonzo scored 12, 10, and 10, respectively.The Beermen will be waiting for the winner in the semifinals series between the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots and the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.This is also SMB’s 44th PBA finals appearance in their history.Finally, San Miguel was also able to avenge their 2022-23 Governors’ Cup semis defeat against Ginebra wherein Justin Brownlee and the Gin Kings swept them in three games. <div>The scores:</div>SAN MIGUEL — 94 – Boatwright 26, Cruz 17, Lassiter 14, Perez 11, Fajardo 11, Trollano 6, Teng 6, Ross 3, Brondial 0, Tautuaa 0GINEBRA — 91 – Bishop 25, Thompson 17, J.Aguilar 12, Malonzo 10, Standhardinger 10, Tenorio 8, Pringle 5, Pinto 2, Ahanmisi 2QUARTERS: 21-18, 43-42, 75-69, 94-91

SMB sweeps Ginebra, makes PBA Finals return

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SMB sweeps Ginebra, makes PBA Finals return

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 28, 2024 08:59 PM PHT

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Updated January 29, 2024 12:04 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

PBA

PBA Commissioner’s Cup

PBA Semifinals

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel

Ginebra

BGSM

San Miguel Beermen

SMB

San Miguel

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