San Miguel is the PBA's one true dominant force, but even the Beermen have not been spared from Justin Brownlee's magic with Brgy. Ginebra.
The San Miguel Beermen are preparing for a high-stakes best-of-7 semifinal series against Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup, determined to break a string of playoff struggles against the Gin Kings, especially with Justin Brownlee back in town.
After finishing as the no. 2 seed in Group B with a 6-4 record, San Miguel survived a grueling five-game quarterfinal series against Converge to advance to the semifinals.
[Related: Ginebra, San Miguel meet in star-studded Governors' Cup semis | PBA schedule]
San Miguel enters the series with confidence, especially after setting a franchise record by beating Ginebra by 49 points in the elimination round, a statement win that showcased their potential.
However, the Beermen are well aware of the challenge ahead, as they have struggled in the playoffs against Ginebra when Justin Brownlee is on the roster.
Since 2016, San Miguel has gone 0-5 in playoff series against Ginebra with Brownlee leading the way.
San Miguel will need to overcome Ginebra’s dominance in recent years, especially in critical playoff moments.
The two teams have a storied playoff rivalry, with Ginebra having the upper hand in Governors' Cup matchups.
Ginebra eliminated San Miguel in the 2016 and 2019 Governors' Cup, and swept them in the semifinals of the last Governors’ Cup to be played.
San Miguel’s Playoff History vs. Ginebra (with Justin Brownlee):
- 2016 Governors' Cup semifinals: Ginebra won, 3-2.
- 2017 Governors' Cup quarterfinals: Ginebra won, 1-0.
- 2018 Commissioner's Cup Finals: Ginebra won, 4-2.
- 2019 Governors' Cup quarterfinals: Ginebra won, 1-0.
- Season 47 Governors' Cup semifinals: Ginebra swept San Miguel, 3-0.
Despite this, San Miguel has shown it can beat Ginebra in a series when Brownlee is not involved.
The Beermen dominated Ginebra in the 2017 Philippine Cup Finals and the 2018 Philippine Cup semifinals. More recently, San Miguel swept Ginebra in the Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
San Miguel’s Playoff History vs. Ginebra (without Justin Brownlee):
- 2017 Philippine Cup Finals: San Miguel won, 4-1.
- 2018 Philippine Cup semifinals: San Miguel won, 4-1.
- Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals: San Miguel swept Ginebra, 3-0.
The Beermen’s chances of reversing their fortunes against Brownlee’s Ginebra will rely heavily on their seasoned core of players.
Eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo continues to be a dominant force for San Miguel, while CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter provide offensive firepower.
The Beermen have also benefited from the late addition of import EJ Anosike, who has been playing exceptionally well despite joining the team just before the playoffs.
Game 1 for this mega semis showdown will be on October 9.
—
[Editor's note: This article was generated by a member of the One Sports Digital team using AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]