Cebuano June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel grabs a rebound against Magnolia’s Jio Jalalon and Ian Sangalang in Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Finals. /PBA IMAGES
San Miguel Beer flaunted its championship form again, this time crawling back from 23 points down to defeat the Magnolia Hotshots, 108-99, in double overtime of Game 5 of the PBA Philippine Cup finals at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday night.
The Beermen, thus, wrapped up the best-of-seven series at 4-1 to become the only team in the PBA to win four straight All-Filipino titles.
Cebuano big man June Mar Fajardo showed why he is a four-time Most Valuable Player and six-time Best Player of the Conference winner as he poured in 42 points and hauled down 20 rebounds to spearhead San Miguel’s huge comeback from a 23-point deficit in the third quarter.
Fajardo, from Pinamungajan, Cebu, delivered the killer blows in the second overtime as he scored eight of the 14 points of the Beermen in that stretch that knocked the wind out of the Hotshots. He was later named the Finals MVP.
Arwind Santos added 23 points and made the huge three at the end of regulation that forced the first overtime. Marcio Lassiter chipped in 16.
Paul Lee led the runners up Hotshots with 21 points.
San Miguel also made history in the 2016 Philippine Cup when it crawled back from a 0-3 deficit against the Alaska Aces in their best-of-seven series to win its second straight All-Filipino title. That comeback would be known as the Beeracle.
The championship also meant that San Miguel coach Leo Austria remained perfect in the finals at 6 out of 6.