MANILA, Philippines – The Ginebra Barangay At the Mall of Asia Arena, San Miguel staged a sensational comeback in Game 1 of the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals, defeating top-seeded San Miguel Beer 73-71 after falling behind by 18 points. Going into Game 2, the Kings enjoy a commanding 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The victory demonstrated Ginebra’s ability to remain composed and resilient in the face of adversity. With the help of veteran forward Japeth Aguilar’s quickness and inside presence, Ginebra gradually carved itself a path to victory after falling behind by 18 points in the second quarter. Aguilar led the squad in scoring with 18 points, while also grabbing 9 boards on 50% shooting. His spirited play in the paint sparked a Ginebra comeback that ultimately won the game.

With 16 points and 14 rebounds, Scottie Thompson—the 2021 PBA MVP—and Jamie Malonzo rounded out the scoring. When it came to stopping San Miguel’s explosive frontcourt, both players were instrumental. Stephen Holt, who struggled to get going in the game and missed his first five field goal tries, finally found his groove in the fourth quarter. Holt hit a game-winning three-pointer from the apex of the key with little over two minutes left in regulation, putting the Kings up 70-69 and putting Ginebra down 68. Subsequently, he would make two more free throws—one that he skillfully missed on purpose—to increase the lead and the other that he sunk to kill time.

The victory hinged on Ginebra’s defensive tactics. They kept San Miguel to their conference-lowest field goal percentage of 32.1%. Ginebra made the Beermen work for their shots and kept them from getting into their offensive groove. During the pivotal moments of the fourth quarter, their rotations, rebounding efforts, and help defense severely hampered San Miguel’s second-chance opportunities.

In contrast, San Miguel Beer’s attacking performance left little room for improvement. Even though they trailed 29-19 at halftime, the Beermen rallied to win the game in the fourth quarter, scoring just 42 points. Despite grabbing 19 boards, the team’s customary heavie, June Mar Fajardo, was limited to 6 points on 2-of-8 shooting. Even though he has averaged 17.6 points and 15.4 rebounds for the conference this season, the six-time MVP had an unexpected showing.

Even though he shot just 8 for 21 from the field, CJ Perez attempted to shoulder the burden with 20 points. Not only did Marcio Lassiter shoot 1-for-6 from long range, but Juami Tiongson failed to give San Miguel the offensive boost they needed to fend off Ginebra’s late-game charge. Despite Ginebra’s 54-45 rebounding advantage, San Miguel were unable to capitalize on numerous more possessions as a result of lost opportunities and turnovers while under intense pressure.

The late-game execution issues exacerbated San Miguel’s shooting struggles. They had a few good opportunities in the latter minutes, but Ginebra’s defense kept them to contested perimeter shots. Despite Ginebra’s best efforts, the Beermen were unable to score in the final seconds despite numerous golden chances.

We may anticipate that both parties will make adjustments as the series continues. The defensive game and controlling the tempo will probably be Ginebra’s main priorities under head coach Tim Cone. He and his teammates were successful in limiting the Beermen’s speed, cutting off their passing lanes, and isolating key players. In the meanwhile, San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent needs to find a way to get his attack going again, especially with Fajardo. To prevent slipping into a 0-2 hole, it will be vital to improve ball movement, increase off-ball motion, and get shooters in rhythm.

Since Fajardo seemed to aggravate his right calf in the third quarter, San Miguel will keep a careful eye on his health. He is now cleared to play by the team’s medical staff and is anticipated to participate in Game 2. To turn the tide, though, the squad will require more than just his rebounding.

The series could take a turn in Game 2, which is set to take place at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The Beermen have not lost in the semifinals of the Philippine Cup in consecutive years for more over ten years, thus a Ginebra victory would put them under a tremendous amount of pressure.

Game 2 is expected to be a more closely contested match. In spite of their recent shooting slump, experts predict that San Miguel will rebound and improve their field goal percentage to between 44 and 46 percent.