San Miguel def NLEX, 120-103 [PBA S48 PH Cup | Apr. 28, 2024]

San Miguel took another step closer to a historic elimination round sweep, securing a dominant 120-103 victory over NLEX in the PBA 48th Season Philippine Cup at the Philsports Arena on Sunday.

Led by CJ Perez’s impressive performance of 30 points and nine rebounds, along with June Mar Fajardo’s double-double of 20 points and 21 rebounds, the Beermen solidified their position as the team to beat in the league. Clinching the No. 1 spot and the coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, San Miguel now stands at an unbeaten 9-0 record.

In their quest for a perfect sweep, the Beermen will face Blackwater next on Wednesday and Meralco on Saturday. The last team to achieve such a feat was Talk ‘N Text in the 2014 Commissioner’s Cup, making San Miguel’s potential accomplishment even more remarkable.

NLEX, missing key player Robert Bolick due to the birth of his child, struggled to keep up with San Miguel’s relentless offense. The Road Warriors now find themselves tied for third place with TNT and Magnolia at 5-4.

San Miguel set the tone early in the game and maintained control throughout, only trailing for a mere two minutes and 19 seconds after NLEX’s initial three-point lead.

Coach Jorge Gallent emphasized the importance of consistency and teamwork in maintaining their winning streak, stating, “If we play the same way we’ve been playing for the first nine games, it wouldn’t be a bother for me or us. As long as we play hard for 48 minutes and know our roles, we will be okay.”

Jericho Cruz and Terrence Romeo contributed 15 points each, while Marcio Lassiter and Don Trollano added 14 points apiece for San Miguel. On the other side, Enoch Valdez posted 18 points and eight rebounds, with Jhan Nermal chipping in 16 points for NLEX.