Champs yearn for more

MANILA, Philippines —  The legend of the San Miguel Beer “Death Squad” continues.

With highly-capable new faces and a heaven-sent replacement import in perfect harmony with the old guards from the previous “Death 5” era, the Beermen added to the myth with their smashing conquest of the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup.

In finishing off a fading Magnolia opponent in six games on Valentine’s Day, SMB’s deadly bunch delivered the franchise a record-extending 29th title in the pro league while boosting their personal collections.

June Mar Fajardo, Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter – the remaining cogs in the old San Miguel machine that collared a Philippine Cup five-peat – can now wear rings on all 10 fingers.

Coach Jorge Gallent, in only his second conference at the helm, and Bennie Boatwright, who took over from original import Ivan Aska last Christmas, carved their names as first-time PBA champions.

Same goes for free agent signing Jeron Teng, whose father Alvin was part of nine San Miguel championships in the 1980s and 1990s, and rookie Kyt Jimenez, the Youtube sensation who earned his spot in the star-studded roster.

CJ Perez got his second crown to spice up his maiden Best Player of the Conference and Finals MVP plums as Don Trollano, who only came on board this conference via trade, made it two also and Jericho Cruz, hero of Game 5, annexed his third.

“Special ito kasi bihira kami mag-champion sa import conferences,” said Fajardo, whose last championship with reinforcements was back in the 2019 edition of the Commissioner’s Cup.

It wasn’t an entirely smooth trek to the top for Fajardo and Co.

They got off to a 3-3 start in the conference but turned things around with an 11-game streak stretching to the first two games of the finals.

They stumbled in Games 3 and 4 afterwards, allowing Magnolia to draw level, but then recovered to take Game 5, 108-98, and close it out in dramatic come-from-behind fashion, 104-102.

It helped a great deal that SMB had their No. 1 supporter – SMC big boss Ramon S. Ang himself – to draw strength from.

“Noong natalo kami at naging 2-2, pinatawag kami ni Boss RSA sa office niya. Kwentuhan and mino-motivate niya kami. It’s a big boost for us sa team,” shared Cruz.

True to its moniker, San Miguel made the most its vast arsenal from the first to the 15th man to get the job done.

And bad news for the rest of the field, the Beermen are just getting started.

“Next conference, championship uli sana. Iyun ang isang idadagdag ko sa goal ko, sa listahan ko,” said Perez.