Leo Austria wary of increased competition as San Miguel gears up to defend their Philippine Cup title

The San Miguel Beermen head into the upcoming 2025-26 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup as the reigning champions and are widely regarded as the favorites to defend their crown. However, head coach Leo Austria acknowledges that the road ahead will be tougher, with every team in the league significantly improving their rosters.

“Many used to say we dominated the All-Filipino before, but that was then,” Austria said during a recent media interaction. “Now, we don’t know yet because all the teams have leveled up. This is the hardest competition for San Miguel. Everyone has their eyes on us. Even teams outside the semifinals are rising.”

The Converge FiberXers, bolstered by promising rookie Juan Gomez de Liano, have shown impressive form in tune-up games. Still, Austria was quick to emphasize that the league is loaded with competitive squads, each with their unique strengths and weaknesses.

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“We’ve seen the development of Converge over the past few weeks. Rain or Shine and Meralco are also performing well in tune-ups, while TNT is bolstering their lineup with several veteran players. Everyone sees San Miguel as the team to beat, but honestly, I think luck and the players’ relentless desire to win have played a big role in our success,” Austria explained.

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He continued, “Talent-wise, the competition is tight. Teams like Ginebra, TNT, Magnolia, NorthPort, Converge, Meralco, and Rain or Shine are all beefing up their rosters. Even Blackwater is playing well because they’ve acquired the right pieces.”

San Miguel returns mostly intact from their championship squad, with the additions of rookies Chris Miller and Royce Mantua. However, concerns linger over the fitness of key players June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, and Jericho Cruz. Fajardo has just resumed practicing after recovering from injury, while Perez has yet to participate in team training sessions.

“I’m okay. I’ve had time to rest and relax. For now, I’m easing back into practice, and the team is showing good progress,” Fajardo shared. “The competition is fierce because other teams are strengthening as well. We want to improve too—we have the same goal of becoming champions again.”

Meanwhile, Cruz is still recovering from a hamstring injury following the league’s long break, and it remains uncertain whether Perez will suit up for San Miguel in the upcoming Philippine Cup.

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