MANILA, Philippines – In Don Trollano, San Miguel Beer has got an added weapon capable not only of complementing the big guns but also taking over, if need be.
This was in full display when he scored a pair of 20-point outings in sparking the defending champion Beermen to a 4-0 sweep of Rain or Shine in the PBA Season 48 Philippine Cup semifinal series with victories in Games 3 and 4.
As Alpha Beerman June Mar Fajardo was held to a “low” 11 markers and 11 rebounds in the third match in Dasmarinas, Trollano shifted to high gear offensively, going 9-of-15 from the floor, while grabbing 11 boards and issuing four assists to help SMB get on the hill with a 117-107 romp.
“Rain or Shine did a good job defending June Mar. For me, iniisip ko lang na I need to step up and andun lang siguro ako sa perfect place and perfect time,” said the 32-year-old former Adamson standout.
Trollano equaled his Game 3 scoring output in the next match back in Metro Manila and highlighted his heroics with nine straight points early in the fourth that fuelled SMB’s fiery comeback from as many as 19 en route to a 107-100 clincher.
The 6-foot-3 Trollano dropped 13 in the 32-13 closing barrage that enabled the Beermen to finish off ROS and get a shot at a repeat title in the centerpiece conference.
“Just be aggressive, iyun lang ang iniisip ko kapag nasa loob ako,” said the small-forward/shooting guard who has definitely earned his place in SMB's loaded roster.
With his brilliant performance in the last two matches, Trollano (20 points per game on 62% field goal, 9.5 boards and 2.0 dimes) was adjudged the PBA Press Corps-Pilipinas Live Player of the Week for the period May 22 to 26.
Trollano was selected by the men and women covering the PBA beat as the week’s best over the likes of his more illustrious teammates, Fajardo himself and CJ Perez, and Barangay Ginebra workhorse Christian Standhardinger, who led the Gin Kings to a 3-2 lead against Meralco in their side of the Final Four.