Rodney Brondial dominates the boards as the Beermen secure their seventh win and officially book a spot in the next round
San Miguel Beer continued its dominant run in the PBA Governors’ Cup after overpowering Titan Ultra, 144-113, on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
While the Beermen did not need to empty their tank early, they eventually found another gear and completely overwhelmed the Giant Risers. George King led all scorers with 39 points, but it was Rodney Brondial’s relentless work on the glass that earned him the Player of the Game recognition.
The victory improved San Miguel’s record to 7-2, officially securing the Beermen a place in the next round. According to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, SMB joins Group A leader NLEX among the teams already assured of advancing.
Brondial Turns Into a Rebounding Machine
Rodney Brondial once again demonstrated why he remains such a valuable presence in San Miguel’s frontcourt.
The veteran big man produced a double-double of 13 points and a game-high 17 rebounds, consistently battling inside and giving the Beermen second-chance opportunities throughout the contest.
Brondial’s rebounding effort became especially important as San Miguel maintained its control of the game. His physical presence allowed the Beermen to dominate the boards and limit Titan’s opportunities to generate extra possessions.
His 17-rebound performance also complemented the offensive explosion coming from San Miguel’s perimeter players.
George King Leads the Scoring Attack
While Brondial controlled the interior, George King provided the biggest offensive punch for San Miguel.
King finished with an impressive 39 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, leading all scorers and helping the Beermen pull away from Titan after a relatively competitive opening period.
San Miguel entered the second quarter trailing 27-26, but the game changed dramatically from there.
The Beermen exploded offensively in the second period, turning a one-point deficit into a 64-50 halftime advantage. From that point forward, San Miguel never looked back.
Don Trollano also delivered a major contribution with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Marcio Lassiter added 15 points.
Importantly, San Miguel’s scoring was spread across the roster, allowing the coaching staff to manage the minutes of several key starters once the outcome was effectively decided.
San Miguel Pulls Away After Tight Opening Quarter
Titan actually gave San Miguel a strong challenge in the opening quarter.
The Giant Risers took a 27-26 lead after the first period, creating the possibility of another competitive contest.
San Miguel, however, responded with a massive second-quarter performance.
The Beermen outscored Titan 38-23 in the second period, completely flipping the momentum and entering halftime with a 14-point cushion.
San Miguel continued to increase the pressure after halftime, taking a 99-78 lead after three quarters.
The fourth quarter then became an offensive showcase as the Beermen continued scoring despite many of their regular starters spending extended stretches on the bench.
SMB eventually reached the 144-point mark to finish with a 31-point victory.
Balanced Scoring Impresses Leo Austria
San Miguel head coach Leo Austria was pleased with the way his team performed, particularly the chemistry developing throughout the roster.
After the game, Austria emphasized how much he liked seeing everyone contribute.
“The good thing today is, everybody’s enjoying themselves. It seems na nagkakaroon na ng good chemistry,” Austria said.
The Beermen also recorded 34 assists and 69 rebounds, numbers that highlighted their willingness to share the ball and compete on the glass.
Austria also praised the team’s bench for continuing to produce even when the starters were given rest.
“The bench is performing really well and then almost balanced scoring,” he added.
The coach, however, knows the team cannot afford to become complacent.
“But we should not be complacent because come playoff time it’s a different ballgame.”
That mindset could prove important as San Miguel enters the break with plenty of momentum.
COURTESY: PBA OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Titan Faces Another Difficult Setback
For Titan Ultra, the defeat marked its second consecutive loss, dropping the Giant Risers to 2-7 in Group A.
The result leaves Titan with a difficult path toward the top four spots needed to advance from the group.
Titan was also dealing with personnel problems throughout the game.
Joshua Munzon was unavailable while dealing with flu-like symptoms. The Giant Risers then suffered another setback when Bryan Sajonia appeared to injure his right knee while driving to the basket with 8:51 remaining in the third quarter.
Despite those setbacks, Titan continued competing against the heavily favored Beermen.
Tirrell Brown led Titan with 34 points, 13 rebounds and six assists, while Fran Yu and John Amores each scored 11 points. Jerrick Balanza added 10.
Titan simply struggled to contain San Miguel’s overwhelming depth and offensive execution.
San Miguel Enters the Break on a High Note
The victory was particularly valuable for San Miguel with the league set to take a break from August 15 to October 6 for the FIBA World Cup Qualifying window and the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games.
The Beermen now have an opportunity to use the extended break to recover, sharpen their system and continue developing their chemistry before the next stage of the competition.
San Miguel has also shown an impressive offensive trend, recording its sixth victory with at least 123 points.
With King leading the scoring, Brondial dominating the boards and the bench contributing heavily, the Beermen showed why they are among the teams to watch when the playoff race intensifies.
Final Score and Player Statistics
San Miguel Beer 144 – Titan Ultra 113
San Miguel Beer
- George King — 39 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists
- Don Trollano — 21 points, 10 rebounds
- Marcio Lassiter — 15 points
- Rodney Brondial — 13 points, 17 rebounds
- Jericho Ahanmisi — 12 points
- Jeron Teng — 9 points
- June Mar Fajardo — 6 points
- Alex Cabagnot/Cruz — 6 points
- Mo Tautuaa — 6 points
Titan Ultra
- Tirrell Brown — 34 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists
- Fran Yu — 11 points
- John Amores — 11 points
- Jerrick Balanza — 10 points
- Jason Javillonar — 9 points
- Chris Banchero/Pessumal — 9 points
Quarter Scores
1st Quarter: San Miguel 26-27 Titan
2nd Quarter: San Miguel 64-50 Titan
3rd Quarter: San Miguel 99-78 Titan
Final: San Miguel 144-113 Titan
Player of the Game: Rodney Brondial
Rodney Brondial’s 13-point, 17-rebound double-double perfectly represented San Miguel’s physical dominance. While George King provided the scoring fireworks, Brondial’s work on the boards helped give the Beermen control of the game.
With a 7-2 record and a guaranteed place in the next round, San Miguel Beer heads into the league break with confidence, momentum and plenty of reasons for its fans to be excited about what comes next.
