The San Miguel Beermen are heading into the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals with strong momentum after a decisive 116-104 victory over the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Beermen Close Elimination Round Strong
With the win, San Miguel secured its third straight victory and finished the elimination round with a 7-5 win-loss record, locking up at least a share of fifth place. The Beermen's late surge has positioned them well for the postseason, but final seedings remain unsettled as other teams play their final elimination games.
Phoenix, meanwhile, dropped to 6-6 and faces a challenging path, potentially meeting the top seed in the quarterfinals. TNT and Magnolia still have opportunities to catch up or tie with Phoenix when the elimination round concludes on Sunday at the MOA Arena.
Key Contributions from Bench
San Miguel head coach Leo Austria acknowledged the team's slow start but praised the second unit for turning the game around. "We had a bad start, something that we didn't want to happen. Fortunately, we picked up our game in the second half," Austria said.
Jericho Cruz, who scored 20 points off the bench, emphasized the importance of the reserves. "Coach said the second group is important. We usually start slow, and the job of the second group is to bring energy. Whatever the first group lacks, that's what we do," Cruz explained.
Boatwright Leads the Charge
Import Bennie Boatwright once again powered the Beermen with a stellar performance, tallying 34 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. His consistent output has been a key factor in San Miguel's recent success.
For Phoenix, import Johnathan Williams III posted 26 points and 13 rebounds in a losing effort, but it was not enough to overcome the Beermen's balanced attack.
Game Scores
San Miguel (116): Boatwright 34, Cruz 20, Trollano 14, Perez 12, Lassiter 9, Miller 9, Fajardo 7, Rosales 6, Brondial 3, Tautuaa 2.
Phoenix (104): Williams 26, Tuffin 18, Santos 17, Ynot 11, Tio 10, Daves 6, Nelle 6, Gozum 4, Delos Santos 2, Cullar 2, Ando 2.
As the Beermen shift their focus to the playoffs, they aim to carry their winning momentum into the quarterfinals and make a deep run in the Commissioner's Cup.
