PHOTO: Jerome Ascano

CHICAGO – Although Meralco has outplayed San Miguel thus far, leading the PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven finals at 2-1, two things remain the same.

The Beermen still have the more talented, the more proven group of players.

But in the welter of Meralco’s blitzkrieg, the challenge SMB coach Jorge Gallent faces is how to keep pace against a bunch of hyperactive Bolts who run all over the Big Dome with hunger and purpose.

Cutting the workload of June Mar Fajardo, who often looks gassed in the endgame, might be a good place to start.

Through three games, Fajardo has logged a total of 124 minutes and 26 seconds for an average of 41:28 per game.

June Mar is 34 years old now and dragging that 6-foot-10, 268-pound frame in a fast-paced game must be a burden. You see it in the wince that occasionally streaks his face.

Hiding him in the middle of a zone provides some relief but JMF needs actual rest. The fact that he has missed 12 of 34 free throws in three games isn’t a coincidence. I think that’s a function of fatigue.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE.

Meralco has resurrected seldom-used players and given them specific jobs in limited minutes. In Game 1 for instance, 13 Bolts played, ensuring a steady supply of fresh legs and lungs full of air for any given five players on the floor.

Assuming that he is healthy because he is in uniform during games, can’t Vic Manuel, the PBA’s Mr Quality Minutes awardee in 2018, contribute even just a little to give Fajardo a blow?

At 36, The Muscleman probably can’t lift much anymore but a good 5 to 6 minutes of relief play will make life easier for June Mar.

Photo by: Jerome Ascano

If the SMB coaching staff continues to ride Fajardo hard as a means to thrive and survive, so be it. But they need to incentivize him with touches and low-post action.

Five field goal attempts, which was what he hoisted in all of Game Three, is just going to make him bored and tired from racing up and down the floor.

Another debacle for coach Gallent is the speed of the Bolts and their temerity to run, run, run.

When Meralco goes small ball, why wouldn’t San Miguel counter with a super big line-up that will slow-walk the possessions and punish the mismatches on the low post?

MAN-TO-MAN OR ZONE.

Meralco’s two best scorers, Chris Banchero and Chris Newsome, have combined for 102 points. But they’re shooting just 40 percent from the field (35-of-87) while the Bolts as a team is a mere 33.8 percent above the 3-point arc (24-of-71).

Odds-wise, wouldn’t it make sense to stick with the zone, goad Meralco to shoot better outside while clamping down the paint where the Bolts are winning over San Miguel, 130-126?

Photo by: Jerome Ascano

In the end, beating Meralco would require shooting the ball well. Hitting just 28 of 72 field goals (38 percent) like they did in Game Three wouldn’t cut it for the Beermen.

Led by the smoking hot rifle of Marcio Lassiter, San Miguel has the more potent offense in this match-up, but the Bolts are reminding us of a time-honored adage in basketball.

Defense wins championships.