San Miguel coach Leo Austria cites conditioning issue after poor Philippine Cup start

The San Miguel Beermen finally broke into the win column of the ongoing 2025 PBA Philippine Cup, defeating the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 111–93, at the Ynares Center in Montalban on Sunday, October 19.

After dropping their first two games—a rare stumble for the defending champions—San Miguel avoided a 0–3 start, something the storied franchise hadn’t experienced in the All-Filipino Conference since eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo joined the team in 2012.

Head coach Leo Austria admitted he had concerns heading into the game due to their sluggish start.

MAY PANALO NA 🍻

The San Miguel Beermen are finally on board after defeating the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters by 18 points in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup eliminations!#PBA50 #PBA50LID pic.twitter.com/5NSbpgMNcm

— One Sports (@OneSportsPHL) October 19, 2025

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“Now we have to play with a sense of urgency. You could see it from the players—they were all out tonight. That’s the kind of game we want to project at the start of the tournament,” Austria said during the post-game press conference.

Austria also took responsibility for the team’s early struggles, pointing to a lack of conditioning after their recent championship run.

“After the championship, I gave them time to rest and relax. We paid the price for that,” he explained. “We struggled at the start of the season. I attribute it to the fact that we’re not in top shape compared to other teams, who began training two months ahead.”

With the monkey off their back, Austria is optimistic the Beermen can build momentum as they prepare for their upcoming marquee matchup against long-time rivals Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Dubai. The highly anticipated clash is set for Sunday, October 26, at the Coca-Cola Arena.

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