San Miguel Overcomes Ginebra in Game 5, Moves One Win Away from Philippine Cup Finals
San Miguel Beer is now just one win away from booking a return trip to the Finals after outlasting Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 103-92, in Game 5 on Friday, July 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
With the victory, the Beermen seized a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinal series, marking their first back-to-back wins this postseason.
Perez-Cruz Show Steers Beermen to the Brink of the Finals
CJ Perez led the charge for San Miguel, dropping 31 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, along with three rebounds, three assists, and a steal. The explosive guard delivered clutch baskets during a pivotal 13-4 finishing run, helping the Beermen pull away after Ginebra cut the deficit to just two, 90-88, with under four minutes remaining.
Jericho Cruz, meanwhile, came off the bench and delivered his best game of the season, pouring in 27 points on an efficient 9-of-12 shooting, along with four steals, a rebound, and two assists. Cruz caught fire in the third period with 12 points, giving SMB the lift it needed to seize momentum before Perez took over in crunch time.
June Mar Fajardo also contributed across the board with 14 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, one steal, and three blocks, while Don Trollano chipped in 11 points, three rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block.
Beermen Turn Tide After Early Ginebra Spark
Ginebra started strong, riding a 7-point opening quarter from Scottie Thompson to lead 20-12, but San Miguel flipped the game in the second quarter with a 37-24 outburst, fueled by the duo of Perez and Cruz who combined for 22 points in the frame.
San Miguel took a slim 74-71 lead into the fourth before unleashing their knockout punch. With 3:55 left and Ginebra trailing by just two, 90-88, Perez buried a triple and Trollano followed up with a mid-range hit to push the lead to 95-88. A late bucket by Japeth Aguilar made it 95-90, but Perez and Fajardo answered with timely scores to build an insurmountable 99-90 cushion.
Ginebra Fades Late Despite Balanced Attack
Five Gin Kings scored in double figures, led by Maverick Ahanmisi, who tallied 19 points, three assists, and two rebounds off the bench. Thompson contributed 14 points and nine boards, while Jamie Malonzo added 13 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals.
Japeth Aguilar had 12 points, three boards, and a block, and Troy Rosario recorded a double-double with 11 points, 16 rebounds, and three assists, but it wasn’t enough to counter San Miguel’s closing surge.
WATCH: San Miguel vs. Ginebra (Game 5 – July 4, 2025) Game Highlights
Stats Tell the Story
- San Miguel shot a blistering 50.6% from the field, compared to Ginebra’s 37%
- Ginebra held a rebounding edge, 51-40
- San Miguel led in assists (20-17), steals (11-3), and blocks (6-2)
- The Beermen forced 16 Ginebra turnovers, converting them into 24 points, while the Gin Kings only managed 15 points off 12 SMB turnovers
What’s Next?
With a 3-2 series lead, San Miguel now has the opportunity to clinch the series and return to the Philippine Cup Finals—redemption well within reach after missing out last season. Ginebra, on the other hand, must regroup quickly to force a Game 7 and keep their title hopes alive.
Game 6 tips off on Sunday, July 7, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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