MANILA, Philippines—San Miguel Beer guard Jericho Cruz on Friday said the Beermen expect a competitive best-of-seven PBA Philippine Cup Finals rematch against TNT Tropang Giga, which will begin on Wednesday at a still-to-be-announced venue, after San Miguel clinched its berth with a 101-88 victory over Barangay Ginebra in Game 6 of their semifinal series at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Cruz gave his reaction in a brief interview with the Inquirer moments after San Miguel eliminated Ginebra to secure its return to the All-Filipino championship round.
He said San Miguel anticipates a challenging matchup against TNT because of the Tropang Giga’s starting unit and bench depth.
The veteran guard added that the Beermen expect the Finals series to draw strong fan interest.
San Miguel and TNT will meet again in the Philippine Cup Finals for the first time since their last title showdown in the all-local conference.
League officials have yet to release the full schedule and official venues of the championship series as of Friday night.
PBA records show that both San Miguel and TNT have figured in multiple Finals appearances in the league’s premier all-Filipino tournament.
Cruz currently plays a key rotation role for San Miguel and previously suited up for TNT earlier in his PBA career.
The guard said the Beermen will use the remaining days before Game 1 to prepare specifically for TNT’s personnel and playing style.
He stated that San Miguel’s coaching staff has already begun planning adjustments for the championship matchup.
Team officials from San Miguel and TNT have not yet announced any significant roster changes ahead of the Finals.
The PBA Philippine Cup features all-Filipino lineups, with teams barred from fielding foreign imports during the conference.
The league schedules the Philippine Cup as one of its centerpiece tournaments each season and traditionally stages the Finals in a best-of-seven format.
Cruz said the Beermen intend to build on the momentum from their semifinal series win over Ginebra.
He noted that San Miguel’s players will review game film and focus on execution to prepare for TNT.
The PBA has not released official ticketing details for the Finals series as of press time.
