Games Friday:

(Mall of Asia Arena)

4:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs Meralco

7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Rain or Shine

San Miguel proved that it’s not just a June Mar Fajardo show.

Terrence Romeo, Don Trollano and CJ Perez carried the Beermen down the stretch in turning back Rain or Shine, 117-107, in Game 3 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinals to move on the cusp of completing a best-of-seven series sweep Wednesday night at the Dasmarinas Arena in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

The Elasto Painters neutralized Fajardo in the second half — his playground in the first two games — holding him scoreless in the fourth period.

But the other Beermen held the fort for the defending champions’ commanding 3-0 series lead over the squad they have been dominating in 10 straight head-to-head meetings since the 2022 Governors’ Cup.

The trio connected on a 10-3 run in the fourth period which turned the tables as San Miguel rallied from 93-94 down to take a 103-97 lead with five minutes left.

“The boys are really composed especially in the last five minutes of the game when the score (of our lead) was going five, four, three. It’s composure and we know where to go in the end game,” Beermen coach Jorge Gallent said.

“Fortunately, Terrence’s shots went in and Don’s also. So, that’s a good sign for us.”

San Miguel can close the series on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Perez led the Beermen with 23 points and Marcio Lassiter had 21 capped by a huge three-pointer in the last 41 seconds for a little more breathing room, 112-105. Trollano scored 20 on 9-of-15 field goal shooting and added 10 rebounds and two assists.

Romeo scored all of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a trey in the last four seconds of the game with the match already decided that drew the ire of Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao. Cooler heads pacified the situation with Gallent apologizing to his counterpart.

Fajardo, who in the first two games shouldered San Miguel’s second half scoring, was limited to just 11.

“June Mar had his shots. He had open shots it just wasn’t going in. He has to practice more on that but June Mar’s effort was there,” Gallent said.

“You know he has to do a lot of things. He has to score. Chase their big man because they really shoot a lot of threes and they spread the floor. Maybe his kind of tired. His legs are tired, but he did a great job defending their big guys.”

San Miguel proved that it’s not just a June Mar Fajardo show.

The Elasto Painters kept the game close until the final canto where they overtook San Miguel with a 7-0 blitz for a 94-93 lead after Shaun Ildefonso scored on a fastbreak layup with 9:31 left.

Ildefonso could have added two more on Rain or Shine’s lead but bricked his pair of charities before Romeo ignited the decisive counterattack.

Beau Belga finished with 19 points while Keith Datu and Jhonard Clarito had 14 for the Elasto Painters.

Adrian Nocum also had 14 markers while Andrei Caracut and Santi Santillan made 13 and 12 points, respectively, for Rain or Shine.

The Scores:

SAN MIGUEL (117) — Perez 23, Lassiter 21, Trollano 20, Romeo 13, Ross 12, Fajardo 11, Tautuaa 10, Brondial 4, Cruz 3, Enciso 0

RAIN OR SHINE (107) — Belga 19, Datu 14, Clarito 14, Nocum 14, Caracut 13, Santillan 12, Mamuyac 6, Asistio 6, Norwood 4, Demusis 3, Ildefonso 2,

QUARTERS: 25-24, 51-47, 91-85, 117-107.