CJ Perez turns MOA into his stage as San Miguel steals Game 3 from TNT 

Just when it looked like TNT had finally wrestled control of the night, CJ Perez decided the Finals still belonged to him.

In a Game 3 that swung wildly by the quarter, Perez unleashed one of the most ruthless closing acts of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals, pouring in 17 of his 20 points in the fourth to drag San Miguel Beer past TNT, 95–89, and into a 2–1 series lead before a loud Sunday crowd at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

San Miguel had already shown its teeth early, storming to a 33–16 first-quarter lead, only to lose the plot completely in the second. TNT punched back with a stunning 31–11 run, flipping the game on its head and heading into halftime up 50–44, with momentum firmly in Tropang 5G hands.

The fourth quarter turned into a pressure cooker. After SMB let an 86–79 cushion evaporate, TNT briefly looked ready to seize full control. Rey Nambatac’s three with 1:17 left pushed TNT ahead, and moments later, a San Miguel shot-clock violation followed by Henry Galinato’s dunk gave the Tropang 5G an 89–86 edge with under a minute remaining.

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CJ Perez goes on clutch mode and delivers an explosive four-pointer, followed by a solid triple to reclaim the lead for the San Miguel Beermen against the TNT Tropang 5G in Game 3 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals!#PBA50 #PBA50LID pic.twitter.com/zOIXXJMaQV

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) January 25, 2026

That was when Perez went hunting.

The former Finals MVP buried a massive four-pointer to wipe out TNT’s lead, then calmly drilled another triple to stretch San Miguel’s advantage to 93–89 with 12.3 seconds left, flipping desperation onto the other bench. TNT chased a miracle four to force overtime, but Jordan Heading’s attempt came up empty. Marcio Lassiter sealed the escape with ice-cold free throws in the final seconds.

Behind Perez’s late explosion, Don Trollano chipped in 19 points, while June Mar Fajardo authored another monster night with 16 points, 27 rebounds, and three blocks, anchoring the Beermen through every swing of momentum.

TNT had its chances. Calvin Oftana’s 25 points, including a late three that cut the deficit to two, kept the Tropang 5G alive deep into crunch time. But when the game demanded a closer, San Miguel had one ready to swing—and he didn’t miss.

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