Tony Mitchell praises San Miguel’s “system” and “chemistry” as Macau Slumps to 0-5

The Macau Black Knights’ campaign as the foreign guest team in the 2026 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup continues to spiral, as they remain winless through five games and anchored at the bottom of the standings.

Despite showing signs of progress, Macau could not break through in their latest outing on Tuesday, March 31, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, where they absorbed a 110-94 defeat at the hands of perennial powerhouse San Miguel Beermen. The loss underscored both the Black Knights’ ongoing struggles and the gap in cohesion and experience between them and the league’s elite teams.

Macau came out with improved energy and execution compared to their previous performances, keeping the contest competitive for stretches. However, San Miguel’s depth, discipline, and well-established system ultimately proved too much, as the Beermen pulled away in the latter stages of the game.

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Import Tony Mitchell Jr. once again led the charge for the Black Knights, delivering a solid all-around performance with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and two assists. The veteran reinforcement provided stability on both ends of the floor, but lacked sufficient support to seriously threaten the Beermen’s control of the game.

WATCH: Macau import Tony Mitchell after another loss in the #PBA50 Commissioner’s Cup. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/gDQkIZ9bH7

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After the match, Mitchell was candid in recognizing the strengths of their opponents, pointing particularly to San Miguel’s continuity and chemistry—qualities that have long defined the franchise’s success.

“They have been playing for a long time, they have chemistry, some guys even played on the national team together. I have known these guys for a long time and I know they have a good coach and a good system,” Mitchell said.

Mitchell, who is familiar with the PBA landscape, has previously competed against San Miguel during his stints as an import for the Star Hotshots in 2017 and the NLEX Road Warriors in 2019. His experience in the league has given him a clear perspective on what separates championship-caliber teams from rebuilding squads like Macau.

“They move the ball well and they play each other so well because they have been with each other for so long,” he added.

For the Black Knights, the challenge now is to translate their incremental improvements into tangible results. While flashes of competitiveness have begun to emerge, the team will need to tighten its defense, sustain offensive rhythm, and build better on-court chemistry if it hopes to turn its fortunes around in the tournament.

With time running short in the elimination round, Macau faces increasing pressure to secure its first win and salvage pride in what has so far been a difficult introduction to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup stage.

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