In PBA Philippine Cup play, the road to the championship often goes through the San Miguel Beermen. The Beermen have the most All-Filipino titles at 11, with seven coming in the last decade. They also have June Mar Fajardo, who is at least the best player of his generation and could very well be the best PBA player of all time. When other teams rebuild after a disappointing season,SMB tends to find a way to reload. 

Thus, it’s not surprising that San Miguel has had a decade of dominance. But what they did to the Titan Ultra Giant Risers on a cool Wednesday night was beyond dominant. 

The Beermen had more than doubled the Giant Risers’ first half score (79-38) and eclipsed 100 points around four minutes into the third quarter. They meant business as SMB head coach Leo Austria challenged a call with the outcome long decided. In fact, Fajardo even notched his first career triple-double just before the third quarter ended. 

San Miguel’s lead grew by as many as 50 points and if they only knocked down a few more free throws, the Beermen could have joined the 50-40-90 club as a team. Regardless, it was clear that SMB were in control from the jump and Titan Ultra could do nothing to claw back. 

Unlike other teams, San Miguel is entering as the reigning Philippine Cup champion, and with their lineup relatively intact, it wouldn’t be surprising if they end up going back-to-back. There will be those that will try, such as the revitalized Magnolia Hotshots, the perennial contender TNT Tropang 5G, the gritty Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the upstart Converge FiberXers, and the steady NLEX Road Warriors. 

Not only that, but the Beermen must also navigate the season with an aging roster that must avoid any major injuries. Fajardo suffered some major injuries in the past, but he’s been relatively healthy in the last few conferences. The rest of SMB are prone to minor knicks and knacks, but those can pile up. In a way, though, the blowout win over the Giant Risers gave some seldom used players more runs, and any opportunity they can get to get reps is crucial in helping get San Miguel’s depth battle-tested. 

After starting out 0-2 in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup, the San Miguel Beermen are on a five-game winning streak. But the Beermen made quite the statement when they laid down a 41-point obliteration on the Titan Ultra Giant Risers and got a few milestones along the way. 

There are a handful of contenders who are breathing down SMB’s neck, but this resounding victory was a reminder that when you come at the king, you best not miss.