Tim Cone hails June Mar Fajardo, admits Barangay Ginebra were fortunate in semifinal victory

Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) powerhouse Barangay Ginebra San Miguel drew first blood in the Philippine Cup semifinals, overcoming long-time rivals San Miguel Beermen 99-90 in Game 1 on Sunday, January 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Gin Kings will be grateful for the win, as San Miguel’s record eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) June Mar Fajardo put in a heroic performance. The 36-year-old finished with 23 points, 21 rebounds, and three blocks in 40 minutes of play, but his efforts were largely unsupported by his teammates on the night.

Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone acknowledged his team’s fortune in escaping with the victory while praising Fajardo for his dominance on the court.

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“We are just happy we were able to pull off this one despite June Mar having a big game. Credit to June Mar, that’s how good he is, that’s how good he has been,” Cone said in the post-match press conference.

GIN KINGS BENCH MOB 🫡

Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone lauded his bench players’ effort in their 99-90 win against the San Miguel Beermen. Cone also gave credit to June Mar Fajardo, who tallied 27 points and 23 rebounds in the loss. pic.twitter.com/hhJVr2NX7f

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 4, 2026

Cone’s game plan involved pairing two of his big men—Japeth Aguilar and Norbert Torres—to contain Fajardo, a strategy that proved physically taxing for both players.

“We obviously played a tag team on him with Japeth and Norbert. They did the best that they could. It’s physically daunting to guard a guy that big and that strong. Both our guys are exhausted just guarding the single guy.

“He is just that kind of player. Wow. He played the fourth quarter too, the whole 12 minutes of the fourth quarter,” Cone added.

Despite Fajardo’s heroics, Barangay Ginebra’s balanced approach and resilience carried them to victory, giving them a crucial 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series. Cone will be hoping that his team can maintain this form and build on their advantage when the two squads meet again in Game 2 on Wednesday, January 7, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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