Tag: San

Yukien Andrada expected to be San Beda’s new top dog

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San Beda’s Yukien Andrada. –NCAA PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—If San Beda hasn’t made it clear yet, it’s now obvious that the Red Lions are determined to defend the NCAA men’s basketball crown without their previous top star, Jacob Cortez.

In fact, coach Yuri Escueta said that he may have found the Red Lions’ new high-point man.

Unsurprisingly, it was someone who already did wonder for San Beda in the form of Yukien Andrada.

“We’re not really looking for him much but the ball just goes to him,” said Escueta with Inquirer Sports.

READ: NCAA: Yukien Andrada, Jacob Cortez relish San Beda’s return to Finals

“The good thing about Yuki is, he’s smart. He knows his decision-making is right most of the time. He knows how the system is already so the role given to him as a leader is a bit bigger compared to last year. Last year, he was in the backseat in terms of leadership and now it’s needed because we have a new core.”

Andrada was one of the Red Lions’ main gunners in their Season 99 championship.

The sharpshooting forward was the second-leading scorer of San Beda last year with averages of 12.81 points and 5.63 rebounds per game.

San Beda will take a hit next season with the departure of Cortez, who averaged 15.39 points per game, but that’s where the challenge comes in for Andrada and the new Red Lions.

READ: NCAA: Yuri Escueta, San Beda prepared if Jacob Cortez leaves

“It’s going to be a challenge for him to balance that leadership role and being able to play and perform at the same time.”

Thankfully for Escueta, Andrada and his new wards are prepared to take on the challenge of making a name for themselves sans Cortez.

The problem now lies on the coaching staff and how they’d reduce their pool to the final lineup come September.



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“Here in the offseason, I use everyone, I let everyone play. There are no Final 12, 15 nor 18 yet. It’s going to be a challenge for us coaches to cut that down. It’s a blessing at the same time, a hard thing for us to decide the final lineup.”

PBA Finals Game 6 San Miguel vs Meralco

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2024 PBA Philippine Cup Finals schedule (Game 6)

Smart Araneta Coliseum

6:15pm – San Miguel Beermen vs Meralco Bolts

FULL SCHEDULE HERE.

San Miguel Beer guard CJ Perez during Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—The hard work never stops for CJ Perez in the offseason especially after San Miguel Beer lost in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Even after coming off his best PBA season yet, Perez, the Best Player of the Conference in the 2024 Commissioner’s Cup, feels the need to further improve his game and help get the Beermen back to the top.

Chris Newsome PBA Finals MVP Meralco Bolts

Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome celebrates after leading his team to the PBA Philippine Cup championship.-MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Meralco couldn’t have hoped for any other player than Chris Newsome to hold the ball in the endgame of Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Newsome showed why after he nailed the game-clinching shot to deliver the Bolts’ first-ever PBA title on Sunday night.

Chris Newsome Meralco Bolts PBA Finals

PBA Finals MVP Chris Newsome delivers Meralco’s first-ever PBA championship.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Chris Newsome finally entered hallowed basketball grounds on Sunday night, delivering Meralco’s first-ever PBA title at the expense of erstwhile defending champion San Miguel.

The two-way guard delivered the finishing blow of the 80-78 Game 6 victory at Smart Araneta Coliseum, capping off a stellar effort that eventually earned him the Honda-PBA Press Corps Finals Most Valuable Player.

Meralco Bolts PBA championship PBA Philippine Cup Finals

Meralco Bolts celebrate after winning their first-ever PBA title.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Call them the “Miracle Bolts.”

Against a battle-tested enemy so used to playing on a pressured-packed stage, the Bolts on Sunday stunned San Miguel, 80-78, to rule the PBA Philippine Cup.

Meralco Bolts in Game 5 of the PBA philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen

Meralco Bolts in Game 5 of the PBA philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Now that they are within a win of their first-ever PBA championship, the Meralco Bolts are determined to not let a golden opportunity slip away.

Their first chance to close the series out is on Sunday night in Game 6 of the Philippine Cup Finals at Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the franchise that endured so many title heartbreaks can make those defeats a distant memory with another victory over the favored San Miguel Beermen.

June Mar Fajardo and the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts.

June Mar Fajardo and the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

San Miguel Beer is in a precarious, yet familiar predicament which it will try to overcome in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals when it stands up to Meralco’s first of two chances to end its long search for a championship.

Game 6 is set 6:15 p.m. on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the defending champion Beermen will try to solve the woes that allowed the Bolts to seize a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series two nights earlier.

Meralco Bolts' Allein Maliksi in during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals

Meralco Bolts’ Allein Maliksi in during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

With four PBA titles under his belt, Meralco gunner Allein Maliksi knows a thing or two about winning where lights shine the brightest and stakes are at their highest.

And he proved just that on Friday night, figuring prominently in the Bolts’ 92-88 Game 5 conquest of defending champion San Miguel Beer that also put the club on the threshold of a historic first championship.



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Meralco wins first PBA title, survives San Miguel in Game 6

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Meralco Bolts celebrate after winning their first-ever PBA title.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–Call them the “Miracle Bolts.”

Against a battle-tested enemy so used to playing on a pressured-packed stage, the Bolts on Sunday stunned San Miguel, 80-78, to rule the PBA Philippine Cup.

Chris Newsome hit a fadeaway jumper with 1.3 remaining to cap Meralco’s stand at Smart Araneta Coliseum, finishing off the much-fancied defending champions in six tightly contested games.

READ: PBA Finals: ‘Nobody remembers second place,’ says Meralco coach Trillo

Allein Maliksi was just as big in the clincher, delivering 14 points to backstop Newsome’s 15 which also helped the club to its first-ever title in Asia’s pioneering pro league.

Bong Quinto had 11 points, Chris Banchero 10, Raymond Almazan nine while Cliff Hodge, Anjo Caram, and Norbert Torres pumped in six points each.

June Mar Fajardo, earlier crowned the Best Player of the Conference, tied the game at 78-all with 3.3 ticks remaining, almost willing the Beermen back and dragging the Bolts to a deciding Game 7. He finished with 21 points and 12 rebounds.

READ: PBA Finals: Unable to stop June Mar, Meralco still finds way to win

CJ Perez tossed in 14 points, Marcio Lassiter 11, Mo Tautuaa 10. Terrence Romeo added nine, Don Trollano seven, and Simon Enciso five off the bench.

Sunday’s triumph marks the first time Meralco was at the basketball mountaintop since ruling the Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association, a precursor of the PBA, in 1971.



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Facing deficit nothing new for deadlock-seeking San Miguel Beer

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June Mar Fajardo and the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

San Miguel Beer is in a precarious, yet familiar predicament which it will try to overcome in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals when it stands up to Meralco’s first of two chances to end its long search for a championship.

Game 6 is set 6:15 p.m. on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the defending champion Beermen will try to solve the woes that allowed the Bolts to seize a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series two nights earlier.

“For sure we will bounce back in the next game,” June Mar Fajardo said as San Miguel eyes a repeat of similar scenarios in past championship runs.

Fell short twice

It’s the fourth time that San Miguel is in a virtual twice-to-win scenario in a Finals in Fajardo’s well-documented career in the big league, eventually hoisting a title on two of those occasions.

The Beermen defeated the Magnolia Hotshots after losing Game 5 to win the 2019 Philippine Cup, before doing the same three years in the same conference by taking down the TNT Tropang Giga.

Fajardo wound up getting the Finals MVP award from the PBA Press Corps on both occasions.

But Fajardo also fell short twice, back in the 2013 Governors’ Cup in his rookie season and when the Beermen were known as the Petron Blaze Boosters, falling short to the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in seven games.

In the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup, the Beermen ended up with the runner-up trophy as well after Barangay Ginebra overcame a 2-1 deficit, taking the next three to emerge victorious.



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San Miguel unfazed by 3-2 disadvantage vs Meralco

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San Miguel Beermen bench during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel’s Chris Ross is well aware of the theme of this year’s PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Though Meralco is a win away from closing out the best-of-seven series, Ross still believes that the Beermen remain in a good place to defend their All-Filipino conference crown.

“We’re good,” Ross assured after their 92-88 loss to the Bolts at Araneta Coliseum on Friday.

“The series has been going this way, we win one, they win one, we win another. We’ve been in this situation before, it’s part of a series. Our morale’s where it always was and we’re ready to go for Sunday.”

READ: PBA Finals: June Mar Fajardo confident San Miguel will bounce back

Ross was one of San Miguel’s guards who struggled mightily in what could’ve been a game for the Beermen to take the commanding 3-2 lead.

He finished with just three points on 1-of-6 shooting which hampered June Mar Fajardo’s monster showing of 38 points and 18 rebounds.

San Miguel guard Chris Ross in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

San Miguel guard Chris Ross in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Guards Marcio Lassiter and CJ Perez also had difficulties on the offensive end with just six and 17 points, respectively.

But while offense will be a point of concern in Game 6, Ross said playing great defense will also be key to avoiding the scenario of the Bolts winning the title.

READ: PBA Finals: History on the side of Meralco Bolts after Game 5 win

“It’s not really just me, it’s everyone. We’re switching with guards and whoever gets the matchup just has to guard. We’re not really setting up matchups, we’re just guarding whoever’s in front of us and we go from there,” said Ross.

The pesky guard also emphasized that San Miguel is in the right headspace.

Instead of thinking about a possible Game 7, Ross said they’re not worried about next week but are more concerned with the task at hand, which is beating Meralco on Sunday at the same venue at 6:15 pm.



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“We’re not worried about that. We’re just worried about Game 6. We’re just going to go watch film, fix what we got to fix, win on Sunday and possibly be ready for Game 7 on Wednesday and I like our chances.”

Meralco needs to ‘play with poise’ to close out San Miguel

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Meralco Bolts in Game 5 of the PBA philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. -MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Playing with poise will be of utmost importance for Meralco as it tries to close out San Miguel in Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Sunday.

According to Chris Banchero, the Bolts will have to play their own brand of basketball if they want to avoid a do-or-die Game 7 against the mighty Beermen.

And Meralco locked in.

There were zero celebrations in the Meralco locker room Friday night despite moving just one win away from their first-ever PBA title.

HIGHLIGHTS: PBA Finals Game 5 San Miguel vs Meralco

“This goes without saying, we know how good their team is. We have to play with a lot of poise heading into this next game, be determined and work hard,” said Banchero on Friday after their thrilling 92-88 win over San Miguel.

“We know they’ll come out and give it their all and we’ll do the same. We know we’re in no position to do anything because we haven’t done anything.”

Banchero did his job for Meralco to get the 3-2 lead after scoring 12 with four rebounds.

READ: Meralco on brink of first PBA title after Game 5 win over San Miguel

Banchero is also aware that the Beermen are well-capable of mounting a comeback blitz over them.

After all, this is the same team that accomplished the “Beeracle,” winning a title after being down 0-3 in a best-of-seven series with the now-defunct Alaska in the 2016 Philippine Cup.

“They’re going to come out as hard as they can just like they did tonight and we have to play Meralco basketball, play good defense and give it our all.”



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“Sometimes, some guys are going to get hot and other nights we’ll have balanced scoring. We just have to make sure that regardless of what we’re doing on the offense, we’re doing our job on defense.”

June Mar Fajardo knows San Miguel will bounce back

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June Mar Fajardo and the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against Meralco Bolts. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—Down but not out.

That’s exactly how June Mar Fajardo sees San Miguel Beermen and their chances in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals after going down 3-2 in the best-of-seven series against Meralco.

The Beermen are now just a win away from letting the All-Filipino crown slip, but Fajardo believes his team has what it takes to drag the duel into a deciding Game 7.

HIGHLIGHTS: PBA Finals Game 5 San Miguel vs Meralco

“We still have a chance. We’ll bounce back. This is a long series,” said Fajardo in Filipino after their 92-88 loss to the Bolts in Game 5 on Friday.

“We’ll work hard on that next game because we want to get the championship [again]. We won’t just give it that easily… We’ll have to play San Miguel basketball.”

Fajardo played like his usual self with a monster double-double of 38 points and 18 rebounds, showing another reason why he was hailed as the Philippine Cup’s Best Player a few days ago.

READ: Meralco on brink of first PBA title after Game 5 win over San Miguel

The other Beermen, though, had some struggles with the guard tandem of CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter ice cold in the crucial loss.

Lassiter finished with six points, missing eight of his 11 tries from. Whole Perez had 17, he had quite the difficulty getting there shooting just four of his 16 attempts.

PBA Finals San Miguel

San Miguel Beermen bench. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

But while having San Miguel’s lethal shooters frozen posed a problem, nothing was more detrimental to San Miguel than seeing their assists count drop.

“[We had the] same problems in our previous losses,” said Fajardo.

“Our assists were low and that’s why we lost. That’s what coach (Jorge Gallent) told us. We almost had great shots too but we just couldn’t get them to go,” added the seven-time league MVP.



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San Miguel just has one day to try to recover with  Game 6 set for Sunday, also at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Meralco on brink of first PBA title with 3-2 lead over San Miguel

On: By: admin


Meralco Bolts’ Cliff Hodge, Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

HIGHLIGHTS: PBA Finals Game 5 San Miguel vs Meralco

MANILA, Philippines–Meralco played with renewed zest in the payoff frame and then kept it together in the final moments on Friday night to slip past San Miguel, 92-88, and move to the doorstep of a maiden PBA Philippine Cup championship.

Allein Maliksi led the scoring charge at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, as Chris Newsome applied the finishing touches in the Game 5 triumph that put the Bolts ahead 3-2 in the best-of-seven championship duel.

“Both teams are always ready. I don’t think anybody’s gonna have their guard down. Every game has been close, but that last game though, we didn’t do our job. Today was a struggle and it could’ve gone the other way, but we’re now looking at the next game,” head coach Luigi Trillo said in the post-game presser.

READ: PBA Finals: Meralco, San Miguel brace for war with pivotal Game 5 up

“We cannot be too down on ourselves and we cannot be too high on ourselves, and these guys knew that. They were brave today. I have faith in the guys, they are a resilient bunch,” he went on as his crew rebounded from a decisive Game 4 beating last Wednesday.

Maliksi finished with 22 points off the bench, while Newsome delivered just as many–with 18 points coming in the second half of the victory.

Meralco Bolts' Allein Maliksi tries to slip past the defense of San Miguel Beermen's Chris Ross during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals

Meralco Bolts’ Allein Maliksi tries to slip past the defense of San Miguel Beermen’s Chris Ross during Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

“We just wanted to stay in the moment. Today, I challenged myself. We’ve read articles (about our struggles) so, I told Bong (Quinto), Raymond (Almazan) that we step up,” Maliksi said.

And that’s what Meralco did. Almazan and Quinto tossed in 14 and 8 points as the Bolts limited San Miguel to yet a sub-90 point performance–a trend that has done wonders for the Bolts this finale.

Fajardo had 38 points that went with 18 rebounds. CJ Perez added 17 but was the only other San Miguel player to chip in a double-digit score.

Meralco can wrap this series up this Sunday at the same venue.

“We want to win one to gain respect. And that’s what’s on our mind for this Sunday,” said Trillo.

The Scores:

MERALCO 92 – Maliksi 22, Newsome 22, Almazan 14, Banchero 12, Quinto 8, Bates 6, Hodge 6, Caram 2, Rios 0, Torres 0, Pascual 0

SAN MIGUEL 88 – Fajardo 38, Perez 17, Lassiter 6, Romeo 6, Cruz 6, Tautuaa 5, Trollano 5, Ross 3, Manuel 2,



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QUARTERS: 24-25, 47-46, 69-70, 92-88

PBA Finals Game 5 San Miguel vs Meralco

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2024 PBA Philippine Cup Finals schedule (Game 5)

Smart Araneta Coliseum

7:30pm – San Miguel Beermen vs Meralco Bolts

FULL SCHEDULE HERE.

PBA Finals: Meralco, San Miguel brace for war with pivotal Game 5 up

San Miguel Beermen vs Meralco Bolts in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—There has been a popular notion in basketball that when a best-of-seven duel is tied at 2-2, whoever wins Game 5 wins the series.

While that may have proven true for several series in the past, players from Meralco and San Miguel don’t see the same thing going down in the ongoing PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Just ask Chris Newsome and Chris Ross, who will be leading their respective teams in the now-virtual best-of-three series for the All-Filipino trophy. FULL STORY

PBA Finals: With tiebreaker looming, Meralco tries to dig out more points

Meralco Bolts' Chris Newsome during Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen.

Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome during Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Producing the best scoring game of his PBA career with 40 points provided little silver lining for Meralco’s Chris Newsome after San Miguel Beer evened things up at 2-2 in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

“It’s great that I scored 40, but the win is definitely more important,” Newsome said after the Game 4 defeat on Wednesday night.

Newsome and the Bolts have another crack at getting a third win, and closer to their first-ever PBA title, in Friday’s pivotal fifth game of the series at Smart Araneta Coliseum. FULL STORY

PBA: Terrence Romeo determined to help San Miguel despite injury

San Miguel Beermen guard Terrence Romeo suits up in PBA Finals Game 4.

San Miguel Beermen guard Terrence Romeo suits up in PBA Finals Game 4. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Beer coach Jorge Gallent commended Terrence Romeo for playing through the pain in Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

In the Beermen’s 111-101 conquest of Meralco, Romeo played significant minutes despite nursing an aching calf.

Gallent said that Romeo insisted on playing for the Beermen in hopes of avoiding a 3-1 rut. FULL STORY

PBA: Chris Newsome’s career-best down the drain with Game 4 loss

Meralco Bolts' Chris Newsome during Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen.

Meralco Bolts’ Chris Newsome during Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel Beermen. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines—It may have been a career night for Chris Newsome, but that was the last thing on his mind after Meralco Bolts’ ‘ Game 4 loss to San Miguel in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

Newsome scored a career best 40 points  only for the Bolts to lose to the Beermen and have the series pushed back to square one at 2-2.

“They made their adjustments. That’s what a playoff series is all about. They definitely came with a lot more energy today and you certainly saw it,” said Newsome. FULL STORY



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Terrence Romeo determined to help San Miguel despite injury

On: By: admin


San Miguel Beermen guard Terrence Romeo suits up in PBA Finals Game 4. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

SCHEDULE: 2024 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals

MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Beer coach Jorge Gallent commended Terrence Romeo for playing through the pain in Game 4 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

In the Beermen’s 111-101 conquest of Meralco, Romeo played significant minutes despite nursing an aching calf.

Gallent said that Romeo insisted on playing for the Beermen in hopes of avoiding a 3-1 rut.

“Terrence played well but I’m sure he’s not healthy yet but the kid just wants to win and help the team, that’s why he played now,” said Gallent at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

“[He’s still listed as] day-by-day. He just decided to play because he really wanted to help the team.”

In just 18 minutes of action, Romeo delivered like he wasn’t in pain with seven points, three assists and a rebound.

Still listed as day-to-day by San Miguel, Gallent said he’s just happy with how Romeo is treating the PBA Finals series even with an injury.

“I’m very happy that that’s his mentality. He talked to me yesterday and said he’ll try it and in case I bring him inside, he’ll give his 110, which he did now.”

“I told him, if there’s a chance that I can bring you inside, can you play at least a hundred percent? He did it today. Very happy that he followed the instructions.”



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