MANILA, Philippines – As they get ready to play the Terrafirma Dyip, a club that is now at the bottom of the standings, the San Miguel Beermen are aiming for a crucial fifth victory in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup. San Miguel has a chance to solidify its position as the conference’s dominant team and get closer to guaranteeing a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs with the game, which is set to take place at the Ynares Center in Montalban.

The Beermen are comfortably in third position with a 4-2 win-loss record, and they are still quite close to the top spot. In addition to boosting their confidence, their most recent performance—a resounding 111-92 triumph over the Phoenix Fuel Masters—rekindled the passion of the team’s bench players, whose contributions had been patchy in previous games.

Jorge Gallent, the head coach of San Miguel, is unwavering in his resolve to have all players, even those who come off the bench, perform at a high level. He admitted that their most recent victory was largely due to the second unit’s excellent performance. After just contributing six points in the team’s 86-93 loss to TNT a few days prior, the reserves’ 46 points in the Phoenix game was a significant improvement.

However, despite Dyip’s miserable 1-6 record and current six-game losing streak, coach Gallent is unwilling to take them lightly. He underlined how crucial it is to show respect for each opponent, particularly during this crucial round of the competition. “Every game is important, so we can’t afford to relax,” he said. “Every team is ready to take on us, and if we let our guard down, they can all defeat us.”

Early in their games, the Dyip, under coach Johnedel Cardel, have displayed glimmers of competitiveness. Their problem has been maintaining momentum over the course of four quarters, which is primarily due to a lack of depth and experience. Terrafirma has frequently had trouble finishing games, despite their tendency to start strong. The Beermen are aware of this trend and are prepared to take advantage of it.

In his analysis prior to the game, Coach Gallent admitted this. Terrafirma typically performs admirably in the opening half of games. He clarified, “We must be ready to match their energy early on and then wear them down as the game goes on.” Everyone will need to contribute. As they did against Phoenix, it’s critical that our bench keeps performing well.

San Miguel’s reserves have, in fact, returned to form at the perfect moment. Players like Rodney Brondial, Robbie Herndon, and Jericho Cruz have proven they can contribute vital minutes off the bench with immediate offensive output. As the Beermen negotiate a lighter schedule that includes games against other lower-tier clubs like Blackwater Bossing, who presently have a 1-4 record, their success will be crucial.

The mainstay of San Miguel’s effort continues to be star center June Mar Fajardo. The six-time league MVP keeps making an impact on both sides of the court and imposing his presence in the paint. The team’s offensive and defensive plans have been anchored by the leadership and consistency of guards Chris Ross and CJ Perez.

In order to prevent weariness from becoming an issue later in the competition, the coaching staff of the Beermen has also been keeping a careful eye on the workload and minutes of important players. As the squad prepares for a possible deep playoff run, coach Gallent stressed the value of depth and pace.

In addition to moving San Miguel to a 5-2 record, a win over Terrafirma would put them closer to the top four, which is a crucial cutoff point that gives them a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals. There is still little room for error because every team is still vying for a place.

However, Terrafirma needs to win the next game in order to maintain their faint hopes of making the playoffs. They would continue a discouraging losing record and get closer to mathematical elimination with another defeat. To compete against one of the league’s most successful teams, the Dyip will require outstanding performances from its core, which includes Eric Camson and Juami Tiongson.