Injured June Mar Fajardo leads San Miguel past Barangay Ginebra to tie the PBA semifinal series

The San Miguel Beermen bounced back to level the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinal series at 2-2 after defeating Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107–82, in Game 4 on Wednesday, June 3, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Five San Miguel players scored in double figures, with CJ Perez leading the way with 19 points. Juami Tiongson, Rodney Brondial, Jericho Cruz, and Don Trollano followed with 14, 12, 12, and 11 points, respectively.

However, the biggest talking point of the game was the performance of record eight-time PBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) June Mar Fajardo, who recorded a double-double of 12 points and 19 rebounds, along with three assists and two steals in approximately 32 minutes—despite nursing a right calf injury. In his first start of the semifinal series, Fajardo played a pivotal role, especially in the third quarter, where he tallied six points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block, as the Beermen pulled away with a 30–12 run.

San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria and June Mar Fajardo after the Game 4 win. | @MeloFuertesINQ

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San Miguel head coach Leo Austria credited the three-day rest ahead of Game 4 for allowing their star player time to recover.

“The three-day break was very important for us. June Mar was able to recover. In practice over the last two days, he was just watching because we didn’t want him to aggravate his calf. He is on his way to a hundred percent, but psychologically, he isn’t there yet. This game, though, gives us a lot of confidence. The last two days were really important—we didn’t have much hard practice, it was more of a viewing session,” Austria said in the post-match press conference.

Game 4 was crucial for San Miguel, who needed the win to keep the best-of-seven semifinal series alive. They needed Fajardo to deliver—and as usual, the 35-year-old stepped up when his team needed him most.

“It’s hard to be down 3–1, so our coaches told us to raise the intensity and execute our plays. We needed to do those things tonight, and fortunately, we were able to do it,” Fajardo added.

With the series now tied at 2–2, the clash between these two PBA powerhouses is living up to the hype and expectations. Game 5 between San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra will take place on Friday, June 4, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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