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SMB explodes in Q4 to reclaim PBA PH Cup title

The Beermen are back as kings of the All-Filipino. Dennis Acosta
By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY--San Miguel probably did not anticipate a Jayson Castro takeover for TNT in the third quarter.

However, come the final period, the Beermen found the antidote.

SMB sizzled in the fourth quarter to reclaim the PBA Philippine Cup title through a 119-97 blowout against TNT in front of 15,195 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night.

In front of what might be the first time the arena had a standing-room crowd for a basketball game amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beermen completely erased Castro's third-quarter storm that even saw him outscoring the entire SMB squad, 19-18, starting the fourth with a 17-0 run and never coming back from there.

The Beermen outscored the Tropang Giga, 35-8, in the final frame.

CJ Perez led SMB, which won the championship again for the first time in three years, with 25 points, three rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block.

June Mar Fajardo added 19 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists.

Castro finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists for TNT, which failed to win back-to-back titles on a night where Coach Chot Reyes entered the PBA's health and safety protocols and Poy Erram was ejected for a Flagrant Foul Penalty 2 in the second quarter.

Mikey Williams added 22 points but was held to just five points the rest of the way after a 17-point first quarter.

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno

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