June Mar Fajardo played a crucial role for San Miguel in Game 4, delivering an impressive 31 points and 14 rebounds.
San Miguel showcased their offensive dominance in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup Finals, defeating Magnolia 114-98 at Araneta Coliseum to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Magnolia struggled to contain Fajardo, who reinforced his status as the conference’s best player with a near-flawless shooting performance, hitting 13 of 14 shots.
The Hotshots also failed to stifle San Miguel’s inside game, which proved to be a key factor in their Game 4 loss.
Terrence Romeo contributed 18 points, while Chris Ross added 15. Christian Standhardinger and Arwind Santos chipped in with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Big Dome.
“This is the kind of performance we wanted from our team,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “It took a lot of effort, but we capitalized on our opportunities in the paint.”
Austria emphasized that improved ball movement made the difference, keeping Magnolia on its toes.
“Previously, we were too predictable. Tonight, we moved the ball and even our players,” he added.
For Magnolia, Jio Jalalon and Mark Barroca led the way with 22 points each, while Paul Lee was held to just seven.