Will San Miguel Beermen’s import change and determination be enough to topple Meralco? The defending champs face a crucial game in their PBA Commissioner's Cup title defense.
The San Miguel Beermen gear up for a crucial clash against the Meralco Bolts as they aim to secure a playoff berth in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup.
The two teams meet at 7:30 p.m .on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Candon City Arena.
With a pedestrian 4-4 record, the defending champion Beermen currently sit at eighth place, making every game from here on out a must-win.
San Miguel enters the matchup fresh off a morale-boosting 85-78 victory over the Magnolia Hotshots.
However, the team continues to search for consistency, highlighted by their decision to switch imports for the third time this conference.
Malik Pope will debut as the Beermen’s new reinforcement, replacing Jabari Narcis.
[RELATED STORY: Malik Pope to make debut vs Meralco as SMB face crucial stretch in Commissioner's Cup]
The 6-foot-10 Pope will be tasked with making an immediate impact both on offense and defense.
Key contributors June Mar Fajardo and Cjay Perez will be leaned on heavily to set the tone for San Miguel as well, especially against a formidable Meralco team holding a 6-3 record.
With playoff implications hanging in the balance, expect the Beermen to bring their best effort in front of the Candon City Arena crowd.
The pressure is on for Malik Pope to fit seamlessly into San Miguel’s system and provide the spark they need to inch closer to playoff security.
Will the Beermen’s import change and determination be enough to topple Meralco?
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]