San Miguel Beermen and Magnolia Hotshots each picked up their third straight victory to close the first half of the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup eliminations at Ynares Center Antipolo on Thursday.
The Beermen dominated Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 144-113, while the Hotshots avenged their first-round loss to Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters with a 115-101 victory.
We look at how Rodney Brondial continues to shine in the talented Beermen roster, and examine how Jerom Lastimosa picks apart a favorable matchup.
Brondial's intangibles around the shaded area
Brondial quietly delivered another performance that highlighted his value beyond the box score as San Miguel erupted for 144 points on 50.4% shooting from the field against Titan Ultra.
The 35-year-old big man posted a double-double with 13 points and 17 rebounds, including 10 offensive boards, while shooting 54.5% from the field.
His contributions were particularly important as nine-time MVP June Mar Fajardo finished with just six points as he continues to round into form.
Brondial's effectiveness stems largely from his ability to complement virtually any lineup.
When Fajardo operates in the post, Brondial often occupies the dunker spot, giving his longtime frontcourt partner enough room to work while remaining a threat around the basket.
When Brondial becomes San Miguel's primary center in more perimeter-oriented lineups, he adjusts his positioning to create driving and operating lanes for import George King and the Beermen's other shooters without sacrificing their presence in the shaded area.
His 17 rebounds also reflected his willingness to do the dirty work, particularly on the offensive glass, where his positioning and timing consistently gave San Miguel second-chance opportunities.
With King leading the Beermen with 39 points and Don Trollano adding 21 off the bench, San Miguel had no shortage of offensive firepower.
But Brondial's ability to fill whatever role the lineup requires remains one of the team's most valuable assets.
For Brondial, that versatility is intentional.
"Actually, I focus on the intangibles," he said. "We have a lot of guys on this team who can score. So whatever I can contribute aside from points, whatever can help the team, that's where I focus."
Lastimosa's inside-the-arc scoring on full display
After struggling to find his footing early in the conference and eventually moving to Magnolia's second unit, Lastimosa broke out of his offensive funk in the Hotshots' previous win over Meralco -- when he scored 11 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter.
The sophomore guard took it up another notch against Phoenix, putting together a career-best performance that exposed the Fuel Masters' defensive coverage throughout the game.
The 5-foot-10 guard erupted for a career-high 30 points on an excellent 85.6% true shooting percentage, with his two-point scoring standing out. Lastimosa went 10-for-12 inside the arc, repeatedly finding ways to get downhill and finish efficiently once he got into the paint.
Phoenix's decision to switch virtually every ball screen played right into Lastimosa's strengths.
With bigger defenders switched onto him, he was able to use his superior foot speed to turn the corner and attack the paint while also showing the ability to reject the screen whenever the defense anticipated his initial action.
Those paint touches became the foundation of his career night, as Lastimosa consistently punished Phoenix for giving him driving lanes instead of settling for contested jumpers.
His quickness and ability to change direction allowed him to get past the first defender and create high-quality looks around the basket.
For Magnolia, the performance was a welcome development from Lastimosa, who showed that his scoring impact can go beyond perimeter shooting.
If teams continue to switch ball screens against him, his ability to attack slower defenders and generate efficient offense inside the arc could become an important weapon for the Hotshots moving forward.
Another injury at Ynares Center
Yet another injury at Ynares Center Antipolo marred the Governors' Cup action on Wednesday, as Titan Ultra rookie Bryan Sajonia suffered an apparent knee injury during the game against San Miguel.
Sajonia went down at the 8:51 mark of the third quarter after his left knee twisted while he was attacking Marcio Lassiter in transition. He was taken off the court on a stretcher.
There was no immediate prognosis, although reports indicated that he did not hear a pop in his injured knee.
The incident came just a night after NLEX import DeQuan Jones suffered a complete fracture to his lower right leg at virtually the same spot of the court during the Road Warriors' overtime win over TNT.
The back-to-back incidents have heightened concerns surrounding Ynares Center, which has seen several notable injuries -- including Kevin Alas' two ACL injuries and Isaac Go's ACL tear.