BARANGAY Ginebra and San Miguel disposed of their respective quarterfinal opponents to set up a semifinal showdown in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The top-seeded Beermen finally had its payback against last year’s tormentor Meralco by dethroning the defending champions, 108-97, in the second day of the playoffs.
READ: SMB takes no chances vs dangerous Meralco, advances to PBA semis
The No. 4 seed Kings followed suit hours later after beating fifth-seeded Converge, 88-80.
READ: Ginebra puts away Converge, sets up PBA semis vs San Miguel
Now, the Beermen and Gin Kings rekindle their rivalry, as their paths cross anew in the best-of-seven semis that kicks off on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Below are four takeaways on the weekend playoff double-header at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
1. SMB SLAYS GHOST OF THE PAST
At last, the Beermen were able to settle a score that had haunted them for a year after ousting the Bolts in their quarterfinal battle. It was Meralco which denied San Miguel of winning back-to-back all-Filipino Cup championships last season when the former trumped the latter, the winningest PBA franchise, in six games.
June Mar Fajardo led the mop up operation behind a dominant performance of 23 points, 15 rebounds, and four blocks. With the monkey off its shoulder, San Miguel now focuses on reclaiming its title by taking on Ginebra in the next round.
2. MERALCO DESERVES A BREAK
It was good while it lasted. But the Bolts definitely deserve this break after playing almost year-round basketball that saw them suiting up not only in the PBA, but also in international meets such as the East Asia Super League and the just-concluded Basketball Champions League Asia representing both the league and the country.
It’s obvious how banged-up Meralco is, most especially team leader Chris Newsome, who also had to split his time playing for Gilas Pilipinas. The three-month break – the new season won’t kick off until Oct 5 – is a chance for the Bolts to rest, recover, and regroup for the new battle ahead.
3. CAN GINEBRA REPEAT OVER SAN MIGUEL?
The two top title contenders have to meet this early in the playoffs in a clash that has finals atmosphere all around it. Ginebra coach Tim Cone was quick to admit winning an all-Filipino championship meant going through San Miguel, which has won the league’s crown jewel in six of its last nine editions.
The Gin Kings did manage to slay the Beermen in a similar semifinals meeting in the season-opening Governors’ Cup in a series which they won in six games. But Cone added, the Philippine Cup is a different battleground as far as SMB is concerned, and it showed with the way the Beermen topped Ginebra in their sole head-to-head meeting in the elimination round, 104-93.
4. CONVERGE WILL ONLY GET BETTER
It was both a good and tough season for the FiberXers, who advanced to the playoffs in all three conferences and actually came a win short each of advancing to the franchise’s first-ever semifinals stint in the Governors’ and Commissioner’s Cup.
And this came in the midst of a constant changing personnel that saw Aldin Ayo replaced by Franco Atienza just before Season 49 began, followed by the exit of deputy Charles Tiu, the acquisition of rookie Jordan Heading, and his subsequent one-conference stay with the team, top rookie pick Justine Baltazar coming onboard along with MJ Garcia, trading for Rey Suerte in exchange of BJ Andrade, and free agents Jackson Corpuz, Jhan Nermal, and Gelo Alolino also joining the franchise.
The Twin Tower combination of Baltazar and Justin Arana, along with the maturing plays of Alec Stockton, Schonny Winston, JL Delos Santos, and Garcia are signs of a promising future for the franchise, most especially should it finally come to terms with controversial Fil-Am guard Mikey Williams.
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