John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

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<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1750418065936PBA Images3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo in action. <em>PBA Images</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA, Philippines <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> – San Miguel is the first team to advance in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals.</p><p>This, as the top-seeded Beermen denied eight-ranked Meralco of back-to-back titles, ousting the defending champions in the quarterfinals 108-97 on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.</p><p>It was a rematch of the previous season&#x27;s Philippine Cup Finals—but this time, the Beermen exacted revenge, dashing their last year&#x27;s tormentors&#x27; hopes of repeating the all-Filipino crown.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s all about pride,&quot; expressed coach Leo Austria during the postgame press conference. &quot;Because we know na in the last championship ng all-Filipino, Meralco beat us.&quot;</p><p>After SMB led by as much as 16 early in the game, 58-42, Meralco still closed in within two, 77-75, by the tail end of the third quarter.</p><p>The Beermen remained composed and responded well, firing a 14-2 run that allowed them to install a two-digit separation, 91-77, and held unto that lead until the buzzer rang.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/6/16/pba-rematch-vs-meralco-will-be-a-different-ball-game-says-smb-s-perez-1606"><strong>READ: PBA: Perez on San Miguel’s early rematch with Meralco — ‘It’s a different ball game’</strong></a></div><p>Best Player of the Conference frontrunner June Mar Fajardo totaled a huge double-double of 23 points and 15 rebounds to go with four blocks, imposing his will inside the arc.</p><p>But he wasn&#x27;t alone in those efforts as Rodney Brondial took advantage of Fajardo&#x27;s presence, collecting those boards when their main big man could not.</p><p>Brondial listed 12 rebounds to go with 13 markers, earning him the Player of the Game citation.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/6/19/pba-june-mar-fajardo-leads-bpc-race-by-end-of-elims-1715"><strong>READ: PBA: June Mar Fajardo leads BPC race by end of elims</strong></a></div><p>&quot;Kagandahan dito is divided &#x27;yung attention nila, hindi lang naka-focus sa &#x27;kin sa rebounding. Nandiyan din si June Mar, rumi-rebound din, so sabi ko nga kanina siguro maganda lang &#x27;yong sinag ng buwan kaya natatapat sa akin &#x27;yong bola,&quot; he said.</p><p>Aside from Fajardo and Brondial, also shining for Austria were Don Trollano (19 points and six rebounds), Juami Tiongson (19 points and four assists), and CJ Perez (14 points, nine assists).</p><p>Chris Banchero&#x27;s 32-piece was for naught as Meralco suffered the early Philippine Cup exit. Chris Newsome registered 23 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, while Brian Torres had 13 markers.</p><p>SMB is now waiting for the result of the Ginebra-Converge quarterfinal series for its next opponent in the playoffs. Its fellow SMC squad has twice-to-beat advantage over the FiberXers.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>The Scores:</strong></div><p><strong>SAN MIGUEL 108 </strong>– Fajardo 23, Trollano 19, Tiongson 19, Perez 14, Brondial 13, Tauatuaa 10, Cruz 5, Lassiter 3, Ross 0, Cahilig 0, Rosales 0</p><p><strong>MERALCO 97 </strong>– Banchero 32, Newsome 23, Torres 13, Quinto 6, Almazan 6, Hodge 5, Bates 4, Cansino 4, Jose 4, Pascual 0, Black 0, Rios 0</p><p><strong>QUARTERS</strong>: 35-20, 58-44, 81-75, 108-97</p><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OmDx2FaNy8M?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>No back-to-back 👑 for Meralco as San Miguel advances to #PBASemifinals 🏀</p>

PBA: San Miguel dethrones Meralco in PH Cup, advances to semis

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PBA: San Miguel dethrones Meralco in PH Cup, advances to semis

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 20, 2025 07:34 PM PHT

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Updated Jun 20, 2025 09:31 PM PHT

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