Beermen gun for rare elims sweep vs Bolts in Batangas

San Miguel is on the brink of a historic elimination sweep as they face off against playoff-chasing Meralco.

Despite this high stakes matchup, head coach Jorge Gallent remains unfazed and continues to downplay his team’s flawless record.

“It’s not over yet. As I always tell you, we still have the 11 steps. It’s not over,” said Gallent.

“Of course, I have to downplay it because it didn’t happen yet. If it happens lucky for us and we just have to move on to our next ladder,” he added.

With the top seed and a twice-to-beat advantage already secured, the Beermen (10-0) have their sights set on making history against the Bolts (5-5) on Saturday, May 3 at 6:15 p.m. at the Batangas City Coliseum.

An impeccable 11-0 record would mark only the fifth sweep in PBA history, with San Miguel looking to achieve the most wins in this exclusive club.

The Beermen are well aware that a historic sweep will not come easy, especially against a motivated Meralco squad vying for a playoff spot with their sixth win.

A loss for Meralco could complicate their playoff chances, potentially leading to a tie at the eighth spot alongside NorthPort and Terrafirma.

“We just have to match their energy because we know Meralco has to really win to make it to the (quarterfinals). We just have to play well, minimize turnovers, forced shots and limit their transition to very little,” said Gallent.

Playing with added motivation for their injured teammate Aaron Black, who suffered an ACL tear in their last game, the Bolts will rely on Chris Newsome and Chris Banchero to carry the offensive load. They will also lean on their tough defense to try and contain San Miguel’s formidable lineup, including June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, and Marcio Lassiter.

Defending against the scoring prowess of Don Trollano, Jericho Cruz, Terrence Romeo, and Chris Ross will be no easy task for Meralco, but they are determined to give their all in this crucial matchup.