SAN MIGUEL WINS THE 2025-26 PBA PHILIPPINE CUP!

How can you not award the Finals MVP to June Mar Fajardo?

The dude just put up 29 points and 23 rebounds!

If Ramon Fernandez gets to have his name attached to the Finals MVP award even if he never actually won it, since the award did not exist during his time, then I am pretty sure JMF will eventually have his name on that trophy once he retires.

I mean, the guy is on the verge of winning his tenth MVP award!

If you told me two decades ago that a player in any league could do that, I would have laughed my ass off!

FROM ONE SPORTS

And again, only a fickle-minded goofball would think that Leo Austria does not deserve the praise he gets. Austria is this good because he built a team that follows the plan despite the egos involved. When he reportedly had a spat with CJ Perez, it did not take long for that beef to get squashed.

And if you think Austria only won championships because he was surrounded by all-stars, then how do you explain Baby Dalupan and the five MVPs who played under him with the Crispa Redmanizers?

June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross, Alex Cabagnot, Arwind Santos, Mo Tautuaa, Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano, Terrence Romeo, and Perez won almost all of their championships under Austria’s guidance. I honestly believe it would have been even more if not for his brief consultant stint that saw him replaced by Jorge Gallent.

If you really think about it, Austria also knows how to derail the opposing team’s plans. Chot Reyes managed to solve the offensive anomaly that Mo Tautuaa presented. So what did Austria do? He unleashed the double-double game of Rodney Brondial. His former Adamson ward averaged 16 points and 14 rebounds in the final two games, which ultimately proved to be TNT’s demise. The Tropang 5G lost by an average of 14.5 points in those games.

With the Fajardo-Brondial combo, it is no wonder TNT was restricted in its possessions. And now it feels like it is back to the drawing board for the Tropang 5G. Despite an improved roster, they simply have no answer for June Mar, especially when Austria makes his adjustments at the power forward spot. There is no question that San Miguel has a slew of slashers and shooters, which TNT actually managed to neutralize. That said, San Miguel still had the right tools to disrupt TNT’s overall game plan.

And because of that, they won their second straight All-Filipino crown. With all the honors and championships piling up, maybe Fajardo and Austria are ready for a new challenge.

On the league’s 50th year, can the San Miguel Beermen pull off a grand slam?