Troy Rosario played through painful quad injury in Ginebra’s Game 6 loss to San Miguel

Defending Philippine Cup champions San Miguel Beermen punched their ticket to the PBA Finals after overpowering bitter rivals Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 101–88, in Game 6 of their best-of-seven semifinal showdown on Friday, January 16, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Beermen’s dominant outing closed out the series and secured their return to the championship stage, where they will aim to extend their dynasty in the league’s most prestigious conference.

For Barangay Ginebra, the loss was a frustrating end to what had been a resilient playoff run. But even before tip-off, head coach Tim Cone and his squad were already facing a major setback—key forward Troy Rosario had been dealing with a painful quad injury that turned out to be far more serious than initially believed. Despite the severity of the issue, Rosario attempted to suit up and contribute in the do-or-die matchup, underscoring both his commitment and the team’s desperation for reinforcements against the powerful San Miguel frontline.

After the game, Rosario revealed just how difficult the past two days had been as he tried to determine the scope of his injury while also preparing mentally for the crucial matchup.

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“I have been thinking about the injury since last night because I had an MRI test at St. Luke’s. The result, though, was blurry so we didn’t see it. Earlier in the afternoon, I was in Mandaluyong to get a second MRI because we weren’t sure. When I got here, that’s the only time I found out that I tore my quads, which shot up to my groin,” Rosario said.

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings forward Jeth Troy Rosario voiced his frustration over the timing of a quad tear that hampered his availability during the recently concluded PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals against the San Miguel Beermen. pic.twitter.com/ChfHXLdM5W

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The diagnosis confirmed not only a quad tear but one that affected surrounding muscle groups—an injury that would severely limit any player, let alone one tasked with defending and battling inside the paint against San Miguel’s deep frontcourt.

Rosario managed to play nine minutes in the game, but the injury clearly limited him. He finished with just three points and two assists, visibly struggling with movement and unable to provide his usual energy and versatility. Even simple motions such as lateral slides or quick bursts toward the basket appeared painful.

“We tried to find a way, we taped it heavily just so I can be assisted to walk properly,” he added, highlighting the extent of the physical difficulty he endured just to take the court.

Without Rosario at full strength—and with other rotational challenges compounding the issue—Barangay Ginebra could not keep pace with the Beermen’s balanced attack and championship poise. As San Miguel advances to the finals seeking yet another title, Ginebra heads into the offseason with questions about roster health and what could have been had key players been available.

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