WATCH: Marcio Lassiter Highlights [San Miguel vs Magnolia | March 8, 2020]

Injury-hit San Miguel Beer superstar June Mar Fajardo wheeled in on a mobility scooter to claim a sixth PBA MVP award.

His teammates made it a more meaningful night as the Beermen started their Philippine Cup six-peat bid with a 94-78 conquest of the Magnolia Hotshots in the lone opening match of PBA Season 45 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.

Moala Tautuaa and Arwind Santos led SMB players who gallantly stepped up in their first outing with Fajardo sidelined by his shin injury.

Tautuaa (20 points and 11 rebounds) and Santos (18 and 15) came through with double-double numbers and Terrence Romeo, Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot had significant contributions as SMB re-stamped its class versus the very opponent it hurdled in winning the 2018 and 2019 all-Filipino finals.

The Beermen came out well prepared minus their 6-foot-10 behemoth, building a 23-point lead at 60-37 and playing tough all the way to a convincing triumph in the season inaugurals that drew a crowd of around 10,000.