In three straight games, San Miguel Beermen have taken care of business against Barangay Ginebra.
Now, they'll have to wait a little longer to find out who their opponents will be in the PBA Season 48 Commissioner's Cup Finals -- after Phoenix Super LPG staved off elimination against the Magnolia Hotshots.
Here's a rundown of what happened on Sunday in the two Game 3s.
Loaded Beermen complete sweep
The San Miguel franchise is in a PBA finals for a record 44th time after the Beermen turned back Ginebra, 94-91, to complete a 3-0 sweep of their semifinal series.
It was just the second time that Ginebra was swept in a playoff series in the Tim Cone era, the first coming in the 2015-16 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals. This one, though, had to hurt a bit more since it came at the hands of the rival Beermen, and each game was close down the stretch. In the end, it came down to the Beermen making plays when it mattered most.
"It's just composure," said SMB coach Jorge Gallent. "They were very composed especially in the end game. (In) games 1, 2, and 3, it was anybody's ball game."
Ginebra coach Tim Cone said the Kings were simply out of answers for the Beermen's depth and strategies, stating: "We could have played better, but I don't think we could have played harder. We played hard.
"I'm really appreciative of our guys' effort out there. They laid it on the line and just came up short to a team that was really on a roll."
The Beermen's deep roster once again was too much for the Kings, as this time it was Jericho Cruz who stepped up with 17 points.
"Big credit to coach Jorge and his staff," Cone said. "They came up with adjustments in each game that gave us problems. They did a great job of coaching and they really outcoached us. All we can do is tip our cap to them.
"They hit all the big shots down the stretch, and we couldn't hit shots down the stretch. When you're beat 3-0, the other team's doing something right.
"(They're a) tough team (to face). They're very deep as well. (On the) first night, it was CJ (Perez) that beat us up. (On the) second night, it was (Marcio) Lassiter). Cruz stepped up and hurt us tonight."
Bennie Boatwright, the Beermen's third import this conference, proved to be a wise choice as he fired 26 points and came up with crucial plays down the stretch.
"We're just lucky to have Bennie," Gallent said. "That's all I have to say.
"It's good Bennie arrived here, it's good Bennie was available, and it's good an agent called us about Bennie. So we're happy that Bennie arrived and he's really a great import."
Cone agreed, stressing that Boatwright was a handful, as he added: "I thought our defense played him really well. They found a couple of things that were able to shake him free sometimes. Credit to him but also credit to the coaching staff."
Phoenix rises to force a Game 4
For much of the first half of Game 3 between Phoenix and Magnolia, it looked like the Hotshots were on their way to a series sweep. They led by as many as 21 points before settling for a 13-point edge at halftime.
Fuel Masters coach Jamike Jarin was seen rallying his troops just before the third quarter, and whatever he said lit a fire.
Like its namesake from Greek mythology, Phoenix roses from the ashes of that catastrophic first half, outscoring Magnolia 65-32 in the second half to win 103-85 in one of the largest point reversals in PBA history. It was also the franchise's 100th win in their nine-season PBA history.
"That's a good win -- our 100th -- and we got it in the semifinals," Jarin noted. "We weren't having fun, and we were just too tight. We were just letting Magnolia do the things that they wanted to do.
"So we buckled down on defense and moved the ball and worked as a unit both offensive and defensively. And eventually we caught up and executed and made some crucial baskets.
"The target was to get Game 3. We were not looking at Game 4. Now that Game 3 is done, we're gonna prepare for Game 4.
"Definitely, coach Chito (Victolero) and Magnolia will be coming in strong in Game 4, so we just have to rest our bodies and get ready for what they're gonna give."
Victolero left the arena without speaking to the media.
After blowing leads in the second half of the first two games, the Fuel Masters finally were able to close it out to extend the series to a fourth game on Wednesday.
"We won the game after 48 minutes thanks to this guy. Ang bata niya," said Jarin, referring to 37-year-old team captain RJ Jazul, who knocked down five triples for 17 points.
"We didn't give up," said Jazul, who is the longest-tenured Fuel Master. "Down 20 in the semis, that's a lot. Actually, we should have won the first two games, but at least we got this one."
Jarin did a good job keeping his players in the game mentally when they were down by 21, when it would have been easy for them to just pack it up and look to the next conference.
"There's no such thing as a 21-point shot, so the target was to get it down to around 13, 14 or 15," Jarin explained. "Fortunately we were able to get it (down). We got out of the locker room with fire in our eyes and eventually get the lead."
Jazul said it would have been a shame to let their practice reservation for Monday go to waste, saying: "Coach said, 'We have practice tomorrow (Monday). Sayang ang schedule namin bukas kung matalo kami ngayon'.