Defending champion San Miguel Beer survived a furious Barangay Ginebra comeback to secure an 83-81 victory in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup’s first overseas game held Sunday night at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai.
The Beermen built a 14-point cushion in the second quarter but nearly squandered it as the Gin Kings mounted a spirited fightback in the second half. Veteran guard Kris Rosales delivered the decisive blows, scoring all eight of his points in the final quarter to steady San Miguel’s title-retention campaign.
Nine-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo anchored the win with 17 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks, while CJ Perez and Juami Tiongson added 10 apiece. Big man JM Calma also made an impact off the bench with 10 points and nine rebounds.
For Ginebra, Japeth Aguilar led the charge with 20 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks. Dwight Abarrientos chipped in 17 points, while Scottie Thompson narrowly missed a triple-double with 15 points, nine boards, and seven assists.
The loss dropped the Gin Kings to 1-3—matching Terrafirma and Phoenix—and marked their slowest start since the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup and the 2015–16 Philippine Cup, according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon.
