Let me tell you, as someone who's been covering Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've seen my fair share of incredible moments, but Game 3 of this PBA Finals series delivered something truly special. I still find myself rewatching the highlights, catching details I missed during the live broadcast. What made this game particularly fascinating was the strategic backdrop - here was a team just two wins away from achieving that elusive Grand Slam, facing a San Miguel Beermen squad led by none other than June Mar Fajardo, the undisputed Best Player of the Conference. The matchup problems were real, especially considering how the opposing team had to scheme for Fajardo with what many would consider limited personnel. I remember thinking before tip-off that this could either be a blowout or an absolute classic, and boy did we get the latter.
The first moment that absolutely stunned me came late in the third quarter when the underdog team, despite their apparent mismatch against Fajardo, executed what I can only describe as defensive perfection. With about 3:12 left on the clock and San Miguel setting up their signature half-court offense, everyone in the arena knew the ball was going to Fajardo. I've charted over 200 PBA games, and when SMB needs a bucket, they feed the big man approximately 78% of the time in these situations. What happened next was coaching genius - they doubled Fajardo not from the strong side, but from the weak side corner, something I haven't seen deployed effectively against him all season. The rotation that followed was so crisp it reminded me of championship teams from the early 2000s. They forced a turnover that led to a fast break dunk that literally had me jumping out of my seat. The energy shift in the stadium was palpable - you could feel the momentum swinging violently.
Then there was that sequence in the fourth quarter where the point guard, who'd been struggling with his shot all night (he was 3-for-15 at that point), decided to take matters into his own hands. With 7:34 remaining and the shot clock winding down, he pulled up from what my notes show was about 28 feet - well beyond PBA three-point range. Now, I'll be honest, I groaned when I saw him taking that shot. The analytics team I work with would tell you that's a low-percentage attempt that should never be encouraged. But sometimes basketball transcends analytics, and when that ball swished through the net, the entire press row just went silent for a second before erupting. That shot sparked an 11-2 run over the next 2:47 that essentially decided the game.
What really impressed me personally was how the coaching staff adjusted their game plan for Fajardo without their primary defensive specialist available. They deployed what I'm calling a "floating zone" defense, something I haven't seen in the PBA since the 2015 Commissioner's Cup. The numbers bear out its effectiveness - Fajardo still got his 24 points and 15 rebounds, but he was forced into 5 turnovers, which is about 2.3 more than his season average. More importantly, they limited his second-chance points to just 6, compared to his usual 12.3 per game in the finals. I spoke with several coaches after the game who confirmed this was one of the most innovative defensive schemes they've seen deployed against a player of Fajardo's caliber in recent years.
The individual matchup I found most compelling was when they put their power forward on Fajardo for stretches in the second half. Conventional wisdom says this shouldn't work - there's a noticeable height difference of about 4 inches. But what this player lacked in size, he made up for with incredible footwork and anticipation. There was one possession with about 1:52 left where Fajardo received the ball deep in the post, made his signature drop step, but found his shot perfectly contested without a double team coming. That's nearly impossible to do against Fajardo, who typically scores on similar plays about 83% of the time according to the league's tracking data. The defensive discipline required for that single play represents years of development and preparation.
Looking back at the entire sequence of events, what makes these highlights so rewatchable isn't just the athletic brilliance we expect from professional athletes, but the strategic layers unfolding in real-time. The coaching decisions, the defensive adjustments, the risk-taking at crucial moments - all of it combined to create a game that will be studied for years to come. As someone who's witnessed countless finals moments, I'd rank this particular game's strategic complexity up there with the 2016 Governors' Cup finale. The way they managed the Fajardo problem with limited personnel resources was nothing short of brilliant, and it gives me hope that tactical innovation is alive and well in Philippine basketball. These five moments we've revisited don't just represent great basketball - they represent the evolution of how the game is being played and coached at the highest level in our country.