San Miguel Beermen won its 29th PBA title after defeating Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, 104-102, in Game 6 of the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup Finals, Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The championship gave coach Jorge Gallent his first title as a head coach.
After San Miguel erased an eight-point deficit to only trail by five at halftime, the Hotshots waxed hot to start the second half and led by as much as 13, 77-64, following a basket by Paul Lee with still 3:10 left in the same frame.
SMB made a late run to end the third and extended it early in the fourth, and this got them to as close as six, 90-84, after a follow-up by Bennie Boatwright with still 7:01 remaining in the game.
San Miguel continued to claw in and was able to cut the lead to three, 95-92, following a fastbreak by CJ Perez at the 2:50 mark of the fourth, but Lee had other plans and immediately answered back with his own triple.
The Beermen, however, answered back in a huge manner, and were able to score a five-to-nothing spurt off a fastbreak by Perez and a trey by Jericho Cruz with still 1:43 left.
Chris Ross then hit a trey to finally overtake Magnolia, and Perez followed it with another three-pointer to distance themselves further, 103-99, with 48.7 ticks left in the game.
Aris Dionisio’s own triple helped Magnolia make a last push to cut the lead to one, 103-102, with still 20 seconds left, but SMB was able to hold on win finally complete the comeback.
After this win, the Beermen furthered their place at the very top of the 48-year-old league, with SMB tallying their 29th PBA title.
Meanwhile, the Hotshots’s six-year title drought still continues, with their last one coming from the 2018 Governors’ Cup.
