MANILA, Philippines – Following their previous success in securing a place in the Top 2, the San Miguel Beermen surged ahead to secure the top spot.

And after defeating a Robert Bolick-less NLEX team 120-103 on Sunday at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig, the Beermen have already secured a quarterfinal game with the eighth seed in the PBA Philippine Cup.

Two games separate June Mar Fajardo and his colleagues from an elimination round whitewash.

Regarding his team’s potential to get caught by the law of averages later on, coach Jorge Gallent stated, “If we play the way we’ve been playing, it would not bother us.”

Gallent continued, “We’ll be okay as long as they (the Beermen) play hard and know their roles.” Gallent’s team can finish a perfect run in the elimination round with victories over Meralco on Saturday and Blackwater on Wednesday.

Fajardo, who finished with a huge double-double of 20 points and 21 rebounds, highlighted their strong desire to keep playing fast.

The Road Warriors suffered their third consecutive defeat without Bolick, who took care of his wife Cassandra following the birth of their baby.

Enoch Valdez and Jhan Mchale Nermal led the Road Warriors with 18 and 16 points, respectively, while Bolick, the conference’s top scorer, was absent.

Even though three more players—Sean Anthony (12 points), Rob Herndon (11 points), and Matt Nieto (14)—scored in double digits, NLEX was unable to match San Miguel’s onslaught.

The Beermen had a 19-point advantage.

Scores at the end of the match

SAN MIGUEL with 120 points for the win
Individual Scores: Perez 30, Fajardo 20, Romeo 15, Cruz 15, Lassiter 14, Trollano 14, Enciso 6, Brondial 4, Teng 2, Tautuaa 0, Ross 0.

NLEX with 103 points

Individual Scores: Valdez 18, Nermal 16, Nieto 14, Anthony 12, Herndon 11, Rodger 8, Miranda 7, Semerad 7, Fajardo 4, Amer 2, Taha 2.

Scores per quarter

25-15, 50-41, 83-71, 120-103

As the heat grows, Beermen are not considering making a sweep.

For the unbeaten San Miguel Beermen, completing a sweep of the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations is not exactly on their radar.

It will arrive if it does.

If not, it will proceed to the following stage.

Team captain Chris Ross said, “We haven’t talked about it once. We’re just worried about each game. Game by game.”

“We’re just going there, working hard, and approaching these games the same way. If it comes as a win, it comes.”

With a 120-103 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday night, the Beermen maintained their unbeaten record at 9-1.

The team’s six players that scored in double digits included big man June Mar Fajardo, who ended with a massive double-double of 20 points and 21 rebounds, and CJ Perez, who finished with 30 points.

With a twice-to-beat lead over the eighth-ranked team, the Beermen’s resounding victory guaranteed them a spot in the postseason as the top-seeded team.

At the Batangas City Coliseum, they will play their final two games of the campaign on Wednesday against Blackwater and Saturday against Meralco.

Despite the successes the Beermen have had thus far, Ross stated that the current and defending champions still have a long way to go.

“We’re rolling right now, but I feel like we can get better when these next few games come and the playoffs come,” the veteran guard stated.

All this being witnessed, the mighty Beermen will not be backing down anytime soon. With all the wins recently, fans can expect a lot from this bunch.

The San Miguel Beermen have finished an incredible run, by far.  After nine games played, they have a perfect record of nine wins and zero defeats. Their attacking ability has been demonstrated consistently. It’s not simple to rack up an incredible 974 points during this amazing run. The Beermen have routinely outperformed and outclassed their opponents, leaving them stunned after every encounter. 

The PBA is excited to see if this overwhelming force can continue their winning ways and make their mark in the annals of sports greatness as they pursue their quest for glory.