There is no other way to go for San Miguel but aim for a coveted Grand Slam.
After winning the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup crown, the Beermen are now eyeing to take the Governors’ Cup as well to complete a Grand Slam feat.
“Two-thirds na kami sa Grand Slam, isa na lang,” said San Miguel Beer governor Robert Non. “’Yan ang gusto namin makuha lahat.”
“Having a chance at a Grand Slam is our motivation going to the third conference,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria. “We’re almost there again and we have to keep our focus to get it.”
The Beermen took home the Commissioner’s Cup plum last Friday after they finished off TNT, 4-2, in the best-of-seven finals with Terrence Romeo taking home Finals Most Valuable Player.
San Miguel took the Philippine Cup earlier in the season for an unprecedented fifth straight year.
Now, it’s obvious that the Beermen are looking to duplicate their 1989 Grand Slam triumph and add more to their dynasty.
“Sana makuha rin namin yung Grand Slam. Matagal na rin namin yan hinahangad,” said San Miguel superstar June Mar Fajardo.
San Miguel was in a similar situation back in the 2017 season wherein it also won the first two championships of the season.
It went for a Grand Slam in the third conference but eventual champion Barangay Ginebra derailed its bid by eliminating it in the quarterfinals.
As of posting time, San Miguel has yet to name an import for the Governors’ Cup.
The choice of an import proved crucial to San Miguel Beer. The decision came midway in the elimination round when the Beermen lost badly to Magnolia Hotshots.
After the humiliating 118-82 loss at the hands of the Hotshots, San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria disclosed making the very crucial decision to part ways with import Charles Rhodes and get the services of another one.
The decision was a difficult one to make. After all, Rhodes is not just a regular import for the Beerman. He was at the helm when San Miguel won this very same conference two years ago, where he was also adjudged as Best Import.
Rhodes was also well-loved by the Beermen.
Austria said the import already had good rapport and chemistry with his other teammates.
But with the losses piling up and the campaign slowly winding down Austria had no choice but to but push the panic button saying the team needed somebody to help the squad win games.
Charles Rhodes was out and in came Chris McCullough.
“That’s the turning point of the conference. When I recruited Chris McCullough,” said Austria looking back as the Beermen at the conference. The Beermen eventually won a best-of-seven finals in six games against TNT KaTropa.
“Chris McCullough saved us and helped us a lot in this campaign,” said Austria.
McCullough was a first round pick of the Brooklyn Nets in the 2015 NBA draft. He came on board with the Beermen holding a dismal 2-5 record.
He turned things around for San Miguel helping them win three consecutive wins before a crucial 95-91 loss to Meralco at the end of the eliminations.
The setback relegated the Beermen as the seventh-seeded team heading to the playoffs and need to win back-to-back against the second seeded NorthPort Batang Pier to advance in the semis.
But the team prevailed and eventually advanced to the finals.
“Isang talo lang out na kami. But we’re able to make it kahit na twice-to-beat yung kalaban namin. But the players really worked hard kasi alam nila what is at stake this conference,” said the San Miguel Beer coach.
