The San Miguel Beermen is scheduled for a head-to-head game against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 3:00 PM on March 17, 2023 live from the PhilSports Arena at Pasig City, Metro Manila.
The Beermen has secured their top-four spot which will give them a twice-to-beat incentive when the quarterfinals round arrives but wanted to keep their winning momentum as they enter the next phase of the competition while the Elastopainters will try to do some damage before they completely call it another campaign.
San Miguel Beer and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters will face off in the final game of the PBA Governors Cup eliminations. San Miguel Beer has secured a top-four slot in the quarterfinals and could finish as high as second or as low as fourth depending on the result of the match between TNT and Barangay Ginebra.
Rain or Shine, on the other hand, has dropped out of the quarterfinals race and will aim to end the season on a winning note. San Miguel Beer’s coach Jorge Gallent is keen to maintain his team’s razor-sharp edge despite the match being inconsequential. He wants his charges to play with the same aggressiveness they displayed in their previous game, which netted them the win-once reward in the next round.
San Miguel Beer will miss the services of June Mar Fajardo, who suffered an MCL injury during the East Asia Super League (EASL) Champions’ Week. Gallent wants his team to double up on offense and defense in Fajardo’s absence. The team will also welcome back Terrence Romeo, who missed the first nine games of the tournament due to a grade 2 hamstring strain. Romeo is still recovering from the injury, but his return fortifies San Miguel Beer’s arsenal.
In an interview, Gallent said, “I hope they continue playing hard and playing with a lot of effort because I know June Mar is a big factor here, so we really have to double up on offense and defense.” Gallent also hopes that Romeo is fully recovered so that he can get his game back before the playoffs.
Meanwhile, Romeo said, “Malayo pa talaga doon sa usual na laro ko. Pero slowly lang, unti-unti na iwo-workout ko siya,” indicating that he has yet to get his usual timing after being out of action for more than two months.
The match between San Miguel Beer and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters will be exciting, especially with San Miguel Beer aiming to maintain its momentum and Rain or Shine fighting to end the season on a high note.