Ross feels Lassiter can light up for SMB in a snap and help end TNT’s ‘Slam’ bid
Over the last decade, San Miguel Beer has been the established power of the PBA Philippine Cup, ruling the league’s crown jewel with an iron gauntlet.
And at this stage of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals, San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria looks every bit the wielder of that gauntlet—his version of Thanos—with a few trusty Infinity Stones still in its place.
Once, Austria wielded his fabled “Death 5,” a unit that sowed fear in opponents in every all-Filipino tournament. Now, only three remain: Chris Ross, June Mar Fajardo and Marcio Lassiter. And though time has softened their shine, they’ve began lighting up again.
In Game 7 of the semifinals, Ross turned back the clock. In Game 3 of the Finals, Fajardo bulldozed through TNT’s frontcourt, dropping 33 points and 11 rebounds to power a 108-88 rout. Ross added 15 points and six rebounds as San Miguel seized a 2-1 series lead.
Now, Austria needs one more stone to fire—Lassiter, who’s been mostly quiet this series.
“It’s overdue,” Ross told the Inquirer. “I keep telling those guys to stick to what they do. A game is coming from Marcio.”
Lassiter has struggled, averaging just five points in the Finals. He had six in Game 3 on 3-of-8 shooting. But his importance remains; he is still one of the Beermen’s most trusted weapons, a cornerstone of their championship runs.
“The basics are what works, right?” Ross said. “Me, June Mar, Marcio, and coach Leo—we’ve been in so many battles. We know what it takes to win.”
San Miguel’s younger cast did its part. CJ Perez sliced through defenders for 12 points. Mo Tautuaa added muscle inside with nine, and Don Trollano chipped in 10. But when the game demanded control, Austria leaned on the old guard. And they delivered.
“I think coach Leo’s just going to who he trusts,” Ross said. “We understand what’s at stake—for our side and for theirs.”
Lassiter, a league leader in three-pointers, remains Austria’s last card in this Finals deck. If he hits, the Beermen could snap TNT’s Grand Slam hopes with the same ruthlessness Austria once wielded with his complete “Death 5.”
Whether Lassiter finds his range in Game 4 on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena remains to be seen. But Ross isn’t just hoping. He’s expecting.
“It’s coming,” he said.
