Barangay Ginebra San Miguel went for playoff defense in Game 3 of the PBA Governors' Cup semis. Now, the San Miguel Beermen have to get out of that chokehold and solve the Justin Brownlee puzzle.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel will aim to move one win away from the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup finals when they face the San Miguel Beermen in Game 4 of their best-of-seven semifinal series on October 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings hold a 2-1 series lead after a hard-fought 99-94 victory last Sunday at the Dasmariñas City Arena.
A win in Game 4 would put Ginebra on the verge of returning to the Finals, replicating their run in the 2023 edition of the tournament.
And the two-day break comes as a welcome relief for both teams, especially as players recover from a grueling series.
In Game 3, Ginebra's defense was the difference-maker, limiting June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel to just 12 points and forcing him into five turnovers after a monster Game 2 performance.
Japeth Aguilar led the defensive effort, and Justin Brownlee delivered yet another well-rounded game, finishing with 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and five blocks.
“We defended so much better tonight. We played playoff defense tonight, and I thought that was the key,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, highlighting his team’s eight blocks and five steals.
This defense also held the Beermen below their semifinal average of 118 points per game.
[ALSO READ: Ginebra executes ‘playoff defense’ in Game 3 win vs San Miguel in PBA Governors' Cup semis]
San Miguel’s import EJ Anosike has been the most consistent player in the series, averaging 31.3 points and 9.0 rebounds, including a 32-point, 10-rebound effort in Game 3.
However, the Beermen will need more from Fajardo and CJ Perez, who combined for just 25 points in Game 3, if they want to tie the series.
Key Game 3 Performers:
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Barangay Ginebra: Justin Brownlee (30 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 blocks), Japeth Aguilar (22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists), Maverick Ahanmisi (15 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists)
- San Miguel: EJ Anosike (32 points, 10 rebounds), CJ Perez (13 points, 6 assists), June Mar Fajardo (12 points, 14 rebounds)
With Ginebra’s defense clicking and Brownlee continuing to deliver, the Gin Kings are poised to edge closer to the Finals. Meanwhile, San Miguel will need to regroup and find more offensive consistency to even the series.
[NEXT: Ginebra has slight edge in semis back-and-forth with SMB | PBA schedule]
[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.]