San Miguel Beermen Quickly Shift Focus to PBA Philippine Cup Title Defense

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by Cristian Andal

San Miguel Beermen Quickly Shift Focus to PBA Philippine Cup Title Defense
San Miguel main man June Mar Fajardo. Photo: PBA Images.

Barely weeks removed from their latest championship run, the San Miguel Beermen are already gearing up for another grind. Coach Leo Austria confirmed that the defending champions will resume practice next week as preparations ramp up for the upcoming PBA season.

The Beermen recently secured the Philippine Cup crown on July 25, defeating TNT in six games to stop the Tropang Giga’s bid for a historic grand slam. With the league’s 50th season opening once again with the Philippine Cup, San Miguel immediately finds itself in the spotlight as the team to beat.

Austria admitted that the team’s celebration after their Finals triumph was short-lived. Apart from a dinner and a quick gathering with fans, most players quickly dispersed for other commitments. Finals MVP Jericho Cruz immediately flew to Jeddah to suit up for Guam in the FIBA Asia Cup, while June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez went straight into training with Gilas Pilipinas. Perez even saw action just three days after the Beermen lifted the trophy, appearing in a tune-up game against the Macau Black Bears.

SMB veteran point guard Chris Ross.
SMB veteran point guard Chris Ross. Photo: PBA Images.

The tight schedule highlights the reality for San Miguel’s key players: there’s little time to rest when national duties are calling. Still, Austria sees the upcoming training camp as a chance to reunite the group and shift their mindset back to team goals.

“After the championship, we hardly saw each other. Some went abroad, others took time off with family. Next week, everyone should be back, and that’s when our preparations officially begin,” Austria shared.

While basking in the glory of the 49th season title, Austria emphasized that the new campaign presents a different challenge.

“Winning the last championship is already history,” he said. “We need to refocus and realign for our next mission. The Philippine Cup is always tough, and we can’t rely on what we achieved before.”

With veterans like Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter anchoring the squad alongside Fajardo, Perez, and Cruz, San Miguel enters the new season with both experience and momentum. But Austria is quick to caution that success never comes easy.

“The league keeps getting stronger, and we know every team will be targeting us. That’s why this preparation is important. We need to be sharp right away.”

For the Beermen, the short break is over. The road to defending the crown has already begun.