Relive the Epic Moments of PBA All Filipino Cup 2018 Championship Highlights
I still remember the tension in the arena during that fourth game of the 2018 PBA All-Filipino Cup Championship—the air thick with anticipation, the roar of the crowd echoing through every corner of the stadium. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've witnessed numerous championship moments, but there's something particularly special about how San Miguel Beermen claimed that title. The way they executed their game plan in that crucial Game 4 demonstrated why they've been such a dominant force in the league, and frankly, why they remain one of my favorite teams to watch even years later.
What made that championship run so memorable wasn't just the victory itself, but how multiple players stepped up when it mattered most. I've always believed that championships are won by teams with depth rather than just star power, and San Miguel proved this beautifully. Jericho Cruz, who I've watched develop from a promising rookie into a clutch performer, absolutely exploded for 23 points that night. His performance wasn't just about scoring—it was about timing. Every basket seemed to come when TNT was building momentum, when the game threatened to slip away. I remember turning to my colleague during the third quarter and saying, "Cruz is playing like a man possessed tonight." His energy was infectious, and you could see it spreading to his teammates.
The supporting cast around Cruz deserves just as much praise, and this is where San Miguel's championship DNA truly showed. June Mar Fajardo, the league's most dominant big man, did what he does best—controlling the paint and drawing double teams that opened opportunities for others. But what impressed me even more was how Cjay Perez complemented both Cruz and Fajardo. Perez has this incredible ability to read defenses that I've rarely seen in younger players, and his decision-making that night was nearly flawless. Then you had Don Trollano, Marcio Lassiter, and Juami Tiongson combining for 33 points—that's the kind of balanced scoring that coaches dream about in championship scenarios.
I've analyzed countless basketball games throughout my career, and what struck me about San Miguel's performance was how they managed to maintain offensive efficiency while keeping their defensive intensity. Too often, teams that score heavily sacrifice defensive principles, but San Miguel found that perfect balance. Their ball movement was crisp—I recall specifically a sequence where the ball touched every player's hands before Lassiter drained a three-pointer. That's championship-level basketball, the kind of unselfish play that separates good teams from great ones.
Looking at the numbers from that game, San Miguel's scoring distribution was remarkable. Beyond Cruz's 23 points, Fajardo added 18, Perez contributed 16, while Trollano, Lassiter, and Tiongson added 11, 12, and 10 points respectively. When you have six players scoring in double figures in a championship game, you're witnessing something special. I've always maintained that defensive schemes can contain one or two stars, but when you're facing multiple scoring threats, your game plan essentially falls apart. That's exactly what happened to TNT—they simply had no answer for San Miguel's offensive versatility.
What many casual observers might miss about that championship performance is how it reflected San Miguel's season-long development. I'd been tracking their progress throughout the conference, and you could see their chemistry improving with each game. The trust between players wasn't built overnight—it was cultivated through countless practices and previous games. When Cruz took those daring shots in the fourth quarter, his teammates didn't question his decisions because they'd seen him make those same shots in practice. When Tiongson came off the bench cold and immediately hit crucial baskets, it spoke volumes about their preparation and mental toughness.
The legacy of that 2018 championship extends beyond just another title for San Miguel's trophy case. It demonstrated a blueprint for how to build a championship team in modern basketball. Rather than relying solely on their superstars, they developed what I like to call "situational dominance"—having different players ready to step up depending on what the game situation demanded. This approach has influenced how other PBA teams construct their rosters today, with more emphasis on depth and versatility rather than stacking lineups with big names.
Years later, when I discuss championship performances with fellow basketball enthusiasts, the 2018 All-Filipino Cup frequently comes up in conversation. There's something about that San Miguel team that captured the essence of what makes basketball beautiful—the combination of individual brilliance and collective effort. As I rewatch those highlights, I'm still amazed by how perfectly everything came together for them at the right moment. That championship wasn't just won on talent alone; it was won through preparation, trust, and the willingness of every player to embrace their role for the greater good of the team.
