HIGHLIGHTS: San Miguel vs Magnolia – PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals Game 1

San Miguel Beer held off Magnolia’s late fightback for a 103-95 victory in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

CJ Perez dropped 19 points and 3 steals as the Beermen picked up their 10th straight triumph.

San Miguel import Bennie Boatwright again delivered a stellar outing, finishing with 28 points, 16 rebounds, and 2 blocks.

Fourth quarter

FINAL: San Miguel survives Magnolia’s furious fourth-quarter comeback attempt for a 103-95 Game 1 win
SAN MIGUEL 103-95: Jeron Teng puts the nail in the coffin with a free throw
SAN MIGUEL 102-95: CJ Perez and June Mar Fajardo both go 1/2 from the foul line
SAN MIGUEL 100-95: Aris Dionisio splits his free throws
SAN MIGUEL 100-94: Joseph Eriobu with a quick undergoal stab after a timeout
SAN MIGUEL 100-92: CJ Perez 1/2 from the line
SAN MIGUEL 99-92: 7-0 run by Magnolia as Russel Escoto knocks down a free throw
SAN MIGUEL 99-91: Jio Jalalon and Ian Sangalang with four straight points
SAN MIGUEL 99-87: Ian Sangalang scores inside off the timeout
SAN MIGUEL 99-85: CJ Perez with a wide-open layup on the break
SAN MIGUEL 97-85: June Mar Fajardo and Bennie Boatwright with three straight free throws
SAN MIGUEL 94-85: Joseph Eriobu completes the bonus
SAN MIGUEL 94-84: Joseph Eriobu cleans his own miss, plus the foul
SAN MIGUEL 94-82: Joseph Eriobu with a tough reverse finish
SAN MIGUEL 94-80: Russel Escoto with a bank shot
SAN MIGUEL 94-78: Back-to-back hits by Jio Jalalon
SAN MIGUEL 94-76: Bennie Boatwright with an easy two-handed jam on the break, Jio Jalalon answers with a layup
SAN MIGUEL 92-74: June Mar Fajardo forces his way inside and scores
SAN MIGUEL 90-74: Bennie Boatwright cleans up Don Trollano’s miss
SAN MIGUEL 88-74: Abu Tratter sinks a floater
SAN MIGUEL 88-72: Bennie Boatwright goes 1/2 from the line, Jeron Teng with a tough basket

Third quarter

END OF 3Q: San Miguel keeps a double-digit lead over Magnolia, 85-72
SAN MIGUEL 85-72: Jeron Teng gets on the board with a free throw
SAN MIGUEL 84-72: Tyler Bey adds two more from the stripe
SAN MIGUEL 84-70: Calvin Abueva splits his foul shots
SAN MIGUEL 84-69: Jericho Cruz with a crafty Euro step move
SAN MIGUEL 82-69: Calvin Abueva completes a three-point play
SAN MIGUEL 82-66: Tyler Bey with a triple off the timeout
SAN MIGUEL 82-63: Jericho Cruz connects from long distance
SAN MIGUEL 79-63: Don Trollano answers with his own pair of free throws
SAN MIGUEL 77-63: Mark Barroca perfect from the line
SAN MIGUEL 77-61: Chris Ross with a steal and the finish
SAN MIGUEL 75-61: Mark Barroca banks in a runner
SAN MIGUEL 75-59: Jio Jalalon converts down low
SAN MIGUEL 75-57: Bennie Boatwright with a two-handed slam in transition
SAN MIGUEL 73-57: Marcio Lassiter 2/2 from the line
SAN MIGUEL 71-57: James Laput scores off an assist by Paul Lee
SAN MIGUEL 71-55: Aris Dionisio keeps it going with another jumper, Bennie Boatwright counters with a layup
SAN MIGUEL 69-53: CJ Perez and Tyler Bey trade baskets
SAN MIGUEL 67-51: Aris Dionisio hits a three, June Mar Fajardo answers inside the paint
SAN MIGUEL 65-48: CJ Perez with an easy finish on the break
SAN MIGUEL 63-48: Tyler Bey spins and scores over Bennie Boatwright
SAN MIGUEL 63-46: Aris Dionisio with two free throws
SAN MIGUEL 63-44: June Mar Fajardo banks in a short stab

First-half performers

Bennie Boatwright (SAN MIGUEL) – 17 points, 7 rebounds
Marcio Lassiter (SAN MIGUEL) – 14 points, 4/4 3FG
CJ Perez (SAN MIGUEL) – 11 points
Tyler Bey (MAGNOLIA) – 17 points, 7 rebounds
Mark Barroca (MAGNOLIA) – 12 points

Second quarter

HALFTIME: San Miguel catches fire from beyond the arc for a 61-44 cushion over Magnolia
SAN MIGUEL 61-44: Mark Barroca stops Magnolia’s bleeding with two freebies
SAN MIGUEL 61-42: Marcio Lassiter sinks his fourth triple of the game
SAN MIGUEL 58-42: Bennie Boatwright walks into a three-pointer
SAN MIGUEL 55-42: Marcio Lassiter for three
SAN MIGUEL 52-42: CJ Perez and Mark Barroca exchange twos
SAN MIGUEL 50-40: Tyler Bey with a much-needed three-point play
SAN MIGUEL 50-37: CJ Perez 2/2 from the line
SAN MIGUEL 48-37: Bennie Boatwright sinks a technical free throw
SAN MIGUEL 47-37: Marcio Lassiter swishes a step-back jumper
SAN MIGUEL 45-37: Bennie Boatwright and Tyler Bey trade buckets
SAN MIGUEL 42-35: Bennie Boatwright hits two free throws
SAN MIGUEL 40-35: June Mar Fajardo with a putback finish
SAN MIGUEL 38-35: Paul Lee completes an and-one play
SAN MIGUEL 38-32: Don Trollano 2/2 from the line
SAN MIGUEL 36-32: Terrence Romeo slices the defense and scores
SAN MIGUEL 34-32: Paul Lee steps back for his own three-pointer
SAN MIGUEL 34-29: Don Trollano nails the wide-open three
SAN MIGUEL 31-29: June Mar Fajardo splits his charities
SAN MIGUEL 30-29: Abu Tratter rattles in a technical free throw
SAN MIGUEL 30-28: Tyler Bey with a tough hook shot, but Terrence Romeo quickly answers with a triple
SAN MIGUEL 27-26: Jericho Cruz steals and scores
MAGNOLIA 26-25: Bennie Boatwright adds two more from the stripe
MAGNOLIA 26-23: Bennie Boatwright drills two free throws
MAGNOLIA 26-21: Jericho Cruz splits his foul shots
MAGNOLIA 26-20: Jio Jalalon feeds Calvin Abueva for a fastbreak finish

First quarter

END OF 1Q: Magnolia gets a good start against San Miguel, 24-20
MAGNOLIA 24-20: Don Trollano fires and hits from deep
MAGNOLIA 24-17: Mark Barroca nails two freebies
MAGNOLIA 22-17: Tyler Bey soars high for a two-handed jam
MAGNOLIA 20-17: Bennie Boatwright with an easy deuce
MAGNOLIA 20-15: Ian Sangalang banks it in
MAGNOLIA 18-15: Tyler Bey goes 2/2 from the line
MAGNOLIA 16-15: CJ Perez splits his free throws
MAGNOLIA 16-14: Mark Barroca pulls up for a short stab
14-14: Marcio Lassiter swishes his second long bomb
MAGNOLIA 14-11: Back-to-back jumpers by Mark Barroca
MAGNOLIA 12-11: Mark Barroca hits a mid-range jumper
SAN MIGUEL 11-10: 6-0 run by Magnolia as Ian Sangalang lays it in
SAN MIGUEL 11-8: Tyler Bey slams it home off an assist by Jio Jalalon
SAN MIGUEL 11-6: Abu Tratter sinks a floater off the timeout
SAN MIGUEL 11-4: CJ Perez now with 6 points as he scores again in transition
SAN MIGUEL 9-4: CJ Perez with an acrobatic finish on the break
SAN MIGUEL 7-4: Marcio Lassiter cans the wide-open corner trey
4-4: Tyler Bey floats one in
SAN MIGUEL 4-2: Bennie Boatwright gets on the board with a layup in transition
2-2: CJ Perez skies for a fastbreak layup
MAGNOLIA 2-0: Tyler Bey opens the series with an easy two

Starting lineup

MAGNOLIA: Jio Jalalon, Paul Lee, Tyler Bey, Rafi Reavis, James Laput
SAN MIGUEL: Chris Ross, CJ Perez, Marcio Lassiter, Bennie Boatwright, June Mar Fajardo

Preview

There is a palpable mutual respect between San Miguel and Magnolia.

But it will be all war in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals when the Beermen and the Hotshots open hostilities in the best-of-seven series on Friday, February 2, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“We’re friends, but we’re competitors also. We will battle. We will give the fans a good fight, a good show,” said Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero.

The Hotshots’ months-long preparation to return to the top boils down to one last series as they look to turn their gains from a flawless run in the PBA On Tour preseason series into their first title since the 2018 Governors’ Cup.

Including the On Tour, Magnolia has won 24 of its last 27 games going into its first finals appearance in over two years.

“We will work hard for the championship. We started eight months ago when we prepared for our journey to the finals. Everybody wants to improve,” said Hotshots head coach Chito Victolero.

San Miguel, though, has been just as impressive as it enters the championship round having won its last nine games.

That Beermen winning streak includes a surprising semifinal sweep of perennial finalist Barangay Ginebra, with the Gin Kings getting blanked in a best-of-five series for the first time since 2013.

“Magnolia has been the No. 1 team since I think four, five months. It is going to be hard for us to beat them. But we’re kind of positive about it,” said Beermen head coach Jorge Gallent.

“We’re going to try our best to get the championship.”

San Miguel shoots for a record-extending 29th crown, while Magnolia aims to pull level with Ginebra at 15 titles for a tie at second in the all-time list.

Game time is 7:30 pm. – Rappler.com