It’s a battle between a team that has been dominant from the start and one that has been through a lot of ups and downs to get to the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup finals.
And then there were two.
After contrasting finishes in their respective semifinal duels, San Miguel and Meralco are left to contest the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup diadem in a best-of-seven series which kicks off Wednesday, June 5.
In the last decade, the Beermen have lorded over the All-Filipino conference six out of eight times with the likes of June Mar Fajardo, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter leading the charge.
The defending champion looks to sustain its supremacy after flexing its muscle in a sweep of its best-of-seven semis battle against Rain or Shine.
June Mar Fajardo and Co. eye a 30th title for San Miguel as they slug it out with Meralco in a best-of-seven skirmish beginning Wednesday, June 5. | Photo (c) PBA
[RELATED STORY: PBA: CJ Perez shines in homestretch as San Miguel sweeps Rain or Shine, advances to Finals]
And with 29 titles under its belt as the winningest team in the league, San Miguel will feel most at home in this stage of the tournament.
Out to give them a fight are the PH Cup finals newbies, the Bolts, who reached the championship round of this conference for the first time in franchise history after subduing playoff rival Ginebra in a penultimate round clash that went the distance.
[RELATED STORY: PBA: Chris Banchero, Meralco stun Ginebra in Game 7, reach PH Cup Finals for first time]
While Meralco is coming in as the obvious underdog, it is no pushover either.
The Bolts are riding high on confidence after their historic sudden death victory over the Gin Kings Friday, May 31, that made them a victor for the first time in a best-of-seven series and in a Game Seven.
Meralco could also take a lesson or two from their huge victory over San Miguel in the elims that denied the top seed a rare elimination round sweep.
[RELATED STORY: PBA: Allein Maliksi, Meralco deny San Miguel of elims sweep to clinch quarterfinal berth]
Allein Maliksi, Chris Newsome, Bong Quinto and Cliff Hodge would try to conjure the same magic in the Last Dance as they aim to topple the indomitable Beermen in a best-of-seven series.
Here’s the finals schedule between San Miguel and Meralco:
Game 1
June 5 (Wednesday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
San Miguel vs. Meralco - 7:30 p.m.
Game 2
June 7 (Friday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Meralco vs. San Miguel - 7:30 p.m.
Game 3
June 9 (Sunday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
San Miguel vs. Meralco - 6:15 p.m.
Game 4
June 12 (Wednesday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Awarding of the Best Player of the Conference - 7:30 p.m.
Meralco vs. San Miguel - 7:35 p.m.
Game 5 (if necessary)
June 14 (Friday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
San Miguel vs Meralco - 7:30 p.m.
Game 6 (if necessary)
June 16 (Sunday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Meralco vs. San Miguel - 6:15 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary)
June 19 (Wednesday) | Smart Araneta Coliseum
San Miguel vs. Meralco - 7:30 p.m.