Mar 21, 2018

Beermen hungry to win another title to have their names on history book

San Miguel Beer and Magnolia have had their all-Filipino dynastic reigns, and they're likely to engage in a gut-wrenching showdown in pursuit of their respective goals in the 2018 PBA Philippine Cup Finale.

The Beermen are out to make history as Philippine Cup four-peat champs while the Hotshots are out to rekindle their glory years, including the last time they ruled the all-Filipino to start a grand slam run in 2014.

They clash in Game One of a best-of-seven title series Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, and this brings to mind their long-running classic rivalry in the Philippine Cup in the early 90s.

The Hotshots and the Beermen meet in a finale for only the second time as sister ball clubs under the giant SMC conglomerate.

But with the original Purefoods ballclub still under the Ayala Group, the Hotdogs (now the Hotshots) and the Beermen clashed for the crown four times in a six-year stretch starting in 1989.

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Future PBA Hall-of-Famers Ramon Fernandez, Samboy Lim and Hector Calma led the Beermen in their 4-2 conquest of the Hotdogs in their 1989 Philippine Cup title duel. San Miguel then also prevailed over Purefoods in 1992 and 1994.

Carrying the banner of Coney Island, Alvin Patrimonio and his teammates pulled one over the Beermen in 1993.

Fast forward now, San Miguel and Magnolia face off in an exciting duel between the titleholder and the former titlist.

It's a championship showdown between the league's winningest teams in the all-Filipino tourney with SMB having seven titles under its belt and Magnolia boasting six crowns.

"The Philippine Cup is considered the most prestigious PBA tournament. Pinaghahandaan ng husto yan. So for sure, it's gonna be a fight to the last," said San Miguel governor Robert Non to underscore the importance of the tourney which stakes the Jun Bernardino Trophy to the winner.

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Above the crown, there's the pride at stake between the sister teams under the SMC conglomerate.

"Yung magkapatid, laging nagaaway 'yan," said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

"We want the championship and not just the experience. We'll not give an inch to the defending champion," said Magnolia's Rene Pardo, for their part, during the pre-finals press conference at Sambokojin Restaurant in Eastwood City Wednesday.

June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Marcio Lassiter, Chris Ross and Alex Cabagnot said they're highly motivated to stretch their reign in the tourney.

"Maraming gustong kumuha ng championship namin. Pero may sarili kaming dahilan," said Santos.

"We know what's at stake, and we have lots of motivation," said Lassiter.

"We have another opportunity to win and that's always the goal. We don't want to waste the opportunity. We want to put our names on the history book," said Ross.

The Beermen's concern is they're facing a new challenger that could put up a totally new challenge. San Miguel beat Alaska Milk in the 2015 and 2016 finales then Barangay Ginebra in the 2017 title playoff.

"Gutom na gutom sila, at yon ang kinakatakutan ko sa kanila," said Austria of the Hotshots who are without a title since their 2013-14 grand slam.