If Game 6 was LA Tenorio's turn to turn back the clock, Game 7 belonged to Chris Ross.
San Miguel held off Ginebra, 100-93, to book their place in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup finals as they look to stop TNT's Grand Slam bid.
Here's how San Miguel overcame cold shooting and leaned on their veterans to get the job done.
San Miguel leans on zone defense and Chris Ross' brilliance
Ginebra and San Miguel opened Game 7 with contrasting offensive approaches but remained equally effective. Ginebra relied on crisp ball movement and perimeter shot-making, shooting 50% from the field and a scorching 58.3% from beyond the arc in the first half.
San Miguel, meanwhile, struggled from distance, hitting just 2-of-12 from deep (16.7%), but salvaged their offense through paint production. June Mar Fajardo and Mo Tautuaa anchored the interior attack, allowing San Miguel to hold a slim one-point lead at the break despite their perimeter woes.
Late in the second quarter, however, a pivotal moment emerged when Fajardo landed awkwardly on his right leg. Sensing vulnerability, Ginebra went straight at the San Miguel cornerstone in the third quarter, targeting him repeatedly in pick-and-roll actions. With San Miguel scrambling to contain dribble penetration, Ginebra exploited the weak side to create open looks.
Scottie Thompson took full advantage -- doing damage both as a shooter and a playmaker en route to 16 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists on an elite 80 TS%. All five Ginebra starters scored in double figures, led by Jamie Malonzo's 22-point effort, as they dismantled San Miguel's halfcourt defense with relentless paint pressure and well-timed kicks to shooters.
But just as the momentum seemed to shift fully toward Ginebra -- which entered the fourth quarter up by seven --San Miguel responded with a savvy tactical adjustment. San Miguel coach Leo Austria deployed a 2-3 zone to protect Fajardo from high ball screen involvement and stall Ginebra's drive-and-kick rhythm.
Placing Chris Ross at the top of that zone proved to be a masterstroke. Known for his disruptive hands and veteran savvy, Ross was able to anticipate Ginebra's passing lanes and create chaos defensively.
Ross recorded four steals in the final quarter, triggering transition opportunities that allowed Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz to get into a scoring flow. Offensively, Ross used his size mismatch against RJ Abarrientos to attack the post and force help rotations, which created spacing elsewhere.
When defenders sagged off him, Ross made them pay -- burying crucial 3-pointers to keep San Miguel within striking distance. Perhaps most importantly, he served as the connective playmaker that San Miguel sorely needed, consistently finding Fajardo in deep post position -- something guards like Juami Tiongson and CJ Perez struggled to do with consistency throughout the series. He finished with 19 points and seven assists on 66.3 TS%.
Feeding Fajardo proved to be the right call. Even operating on what appeared to be one healthy calf, the six-time MVP remained an immovable force inside. He finished with 21 points, 19 rebounds, and three assists. He imposed his will on the offensive glass and carved up Ginebra's defense from the low block. Fajardo's presence continued to draw double-teams and created opportunities for others while anchoring the team's halfcourt rhythm.
On a team filled with rising talents and newer faces, it was the old reliables who defined San Miguel in the clutch. When everything was on the line, the team still turned to Ross and Fajardo. Whether it was setting the tone on defense or anchoring the offense inside, San Miguel's Game 7 survival came down to its veteran backbone.
For Ginebra's main core, they will now shift their attention to preparing for the upcoming 2025 FIBA Asia Cup, with head coach Tim Cone leading Gilas Pilipinas.