ALL IS BRIGHT FOR SMB
The Philippine Star
|December 26, 2025
Riding on June Mar Fajardo's monster 20-20 game, San Miguel Beer got its Christmas job done against NLEX and unwrapped the gift containing the coveted semifinal ticket.
Fajardo punched in 26 points and hauled 23 rebounds plus a teamhigh six assists in a tour de force performance that keyed the top-seeded Beermen to a clinching 101-94 win over their No. 8 quarterfinal opponent in the PBA Philippine last night.
Cashing in on their twice-to-beat advantage against the Road Warriors, the defending champions booked their Final Four seat early with either No. 4 Converge or No. 5 Barangay Ginebra as next opposition in a best-of-seven affair.
This marked the fifth consecutive semis stint in the All-Filipino for the SMB franchise, 11th in the last 12 seasons.
After trailing by six early, Fajardo came to life and dropped 16 after restart even as Don Trollano joined the fray and exploded for 17 in the last 24 minutes.
Esta historia es de la edición December 26, 2025 de The Philippine Star.
Suscríbete a Magzter GOLD para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9000 revistas y periódicos.
¿Ya eres suscriptor? Iniciar sesión
MÁS HISTORIAS DE The Philippine Star
The Philippine Star
Pagcor OKs monthly guarantee fee for GSAs
The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) has approved the implementation of a monthly fee for accredited gaming system administrators (GSAs), a move aimed at addressing gaps in the current fee structure.
1 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
World wants more ube; Phl farmers struggling to keep up
In New York City, people line up outside a bakery before it opens to buy a brioche doughnut whose glaze shines a startling purple.
3 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
CELEBRATING THE MONOGRAM, ICON OF ICONS
Louis Vuitton marks 130 years of its signature canvas through five timeless bags and the journeys that made them enduring.
4 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
Ombudsman calls for graft watch on all gov't branches
Ombudsman Jesus Crispin Remulla yesterday urged the public to remain vigilant over all branches of government, saying graft and corruption are rampant not only in the executive and legislative branches but also in the judiciary.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
Digital payments gaining ground as PhilPaSSplus transactions climb
The value and volume of transactions processed through the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)'s Philippine Payment and Settlement System (PhilPaSS) plus rose in the third quarter of 2025, driven by higher activity in both large-value and retail payments.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
THE HIDDEN AND NOT-SO-HIDDEN GEMS OF PARIS
Paris! Since the Age of Enlightenment, its luster has never dimmed.
4 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
DA chief pushes faster release of coco levy funds
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is urging lawmakers to fast-track legislation to expedite the release of coconut levy funds, warning that further delays would only hurt farmers.
1 min
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
DAWN ZULUETA INSPIRES DAUGHTER AYISHA TO PURSUE THE ARTS
SHE MAY BE ONLY 16, but Ayisha Lagdameo, the unica hija of Dawn Zulueta, is beginning to attract attention in her own right.
4 mins
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
LTO to expand e-trikes, e-bikes ban
More highways will be covered by the ban on electric bicycles and tricycles (e-bikes and e-trikes) starting this week, the Land Transportation Office (LTO) said yesterday.
1 min
January 04, 2026
The Philippine Star
More surprises ahead?
Defying the odds is nothing new in the PBA.
2 mins
January 04, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size