San Miguel will enter the quarterfinals of the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup in full strength with the players and coaches who entered the health protocols now set to return.
Head coach Leo Austria, Jericho Cruz, and Robbie Herndon are among the personnel that will come back for the Beermen after missing the final two games of the eliminations due to health protocols.
“We are all good,” said team manager Gee Abanilla.
Barring another case during the mandated testing before each game, the Beermen will have most of their players at their disposal. The development is certainly a welcome news for San Miguel, which was ravaged with players and coaches entering the health protocols.
Still, San Miguel was able to maintain its consistency to top the eliminations with a 9-2 win-loss record.
With Austria out, assistant coaches Jorge Gallent, Ato Agustin, and Boycie Zamar took turns in taking the cudgels for the squad.
The Beermen wound up winning one of their two games during that period, including a 109-108 overtime win over Terrafirma last July 14. They lost to Meralco at the close of the eliminations, 89-86, last July 17.
The top-seed Beermen need only a victory to eliminate eighth-ranked Blackwater, which will have a punishing task of extending the series into a rubber match.
The Bossing have lost five in a row entering the quarterfinals to drop to No. 8. The losing streak began with a 110-107 overtime defeat against SMB last July 10.