Two of the PBA's winningest franchises--the San Miguel Beermen and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel--clash in the best-of-seven PBA Governors' Cup semifinals.
The PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semifinals will feature a clash of two of the winningest franchises in recent PBA history: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Miguel Beermen.
These two powerhouses are set to meet in a best-of-seven series starting on October 9, 2024, at 5 p.m. at the PhilSports Arena, with both teams looking to add another chapter to their storied rivalry.
Playoffs History
Ginebra has historically held the edge over San Miguel in import-laden conferences, winning four of their last five playoff series. However, San Miguel holds the most recent win, sweeping Ginebra 3-0 in the semifinals of the Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup.
San Miguel though is shaking off a tough defeat in the Philippine Cup Finals earlier this year to the Meralco Bolts.
[ALSO READ: Can the San Miguel Beermen finally solve their Justin Brownlee problem?]
Meanwhile, Ginebra is aiming to reclaim the Governors’ Cup hardware, having been dethroned by TNT Tropang Giga in Season 47.
[ALSO READ: With Justin Brownlee back, Ginebra eyes new PBA Governors' Cup crown]
Road to the Playoffs
Barangay Ginebra enters the semifinals with momentum, having swept the Meralco Bolts in the quarterfinals, 3-0. Despite a shaky start to the tournament, newly-acquired Rookie of the Year Stephen Holt and flashy guard RJ Abarrientos have started to mesh with the Gin Kings and resident import Justin Brownlee.
San Miguel, on the other hand, had a more challenging path to the semis, edging out the Converge FiberXers in a hard-fought 3-2 quarterfinal series. Despite the tougher road, the Beermen, led by eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, remain a dangerous threat with an experienced and veteran roster.
Notable Players
Stephen Holt (Ginebra): Holt, the Rookie of the Year and a former Terrafirma pick, has been a key addition to Ginebra’s lineup. In the preliminaries, he averaged 11.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, shooting an impressive 43.48% from beyond the arc.
June Mar Fajardo (San Miguel): The eight-time MVP continues to dominate the league, leading the Best Player of the Conference race. Fajardo is the second-leading scorer in the eliminations with 21.3 points per game and is the top rebounder, pulling down 15 boards per game.
Notable Matchups
Terrence Romeo (San Miguel) vs. RJ Abarrientos (Ginebra): A battle of generations at the point guard spot. Romeo, known for his flashy moves, averaged 11.22 points in the eliminations. Meanwhile Ginebra’s rising star RJ Abarrientos has been stellar, averaging 14.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game.
Justin Brownlee (Ginebra) vs. EJ Anosike (San Miguel): The import duel pits Brownlee, a seasoned veteran and multiple-time PBA champion, against Anosike, San Miguel’s new import brought in for the playoffs. Brownlee is averaging 25.7 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists.
Oh, and Brownlee dropped a career-high 51 points against San Miguel in the group stage.
Meanwhile, Anosike has quickly made his mark with key contributions against Converge--including a 41-point Game 2.
Scottie Thompson (Ginebra) vs. CJ Perez (San Miguel): This matchup between two do-it-all guards could swing the series. Thompson averaged 12.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in the eliminations.
Perez, a scoring machine, posted 20.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game.
Schedule
- Game 1: October 9 | Wednesday | 5:00 p.m. | PhilSports Arena
- Game 2: October 11 | Friday | 7:30 p.m. | Smart Araneta Coliseum
- Game 3: October 13 | Sunday | 5:00 p.m. | Dasmariñas, Cavite
- Game 4: October 16 | Wednesday | 7:30 p.m. | Smart Araneta Coliseum
- Game 5 (if necessary): October 18 | Friday | 5:00 p.m. | Ynares Center, Antipolo
- Game 6 (if necessary): October 20 | Sunday | 7:30 p.m. | Smart Araneta Coliseum
- Game 7 (if necessary): October 23 | Wednesday | 5:00 p.m. | Smart Araneta Coliseum
[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.]