San Miguel def Blackwater, 115-102 [PBA S49 Comm’s Cup | Dec. 15, 2024]

With their respective skids finally coming to a halt, defending champions San Miguel Beer and Blackwater are eager to rev up their turnaround efforts in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

As they prepare to face off this Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, one of these teams will aim to notch their second consecutive win and ignite a winning streak after a rocky start to the tournament.

The Beermen, rejuvenated by the return of their multi-titled coach Leo Austria and the addition of new import Torren Jones, bounced back from a two-game slide with a convincing 106-88 victory over Terrafirma.

Austria, a nine-time champion, was reinstated as head coach in a bid to reshape the team’s fortunes after disappointing losses to NLEX (99-104) and Rain or Shine (107-93). This came on the heels of a lackluster 107-103 come-from-behind win over Phoenix in their opener.

In a strategic move, Austria transitioned from his consultant role, taking over from Jorge Gallent, who now serves as a consultant himself.

On the other side, the Bossing finally found their footing, scoring their first win of the mid-season conference after an 0-3 start by toppling all-Filipino Meralco, 114-98, last Thursday.

This victory should bolster the confidence of Jeff Cariaso’s squad, led by the dynamic duo of George King and Sedrick Barefield, as they prepare to challenge Jones, June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, and the reinvigorated Beermen for a second straight win.