Don Trollano scored 29 points in just 19 minutes to power San Miguel to a 94-92 victory over Magnolia in the PBA Philippine Cup on November 7. The performance marked San Miguel's fourth straight win after an early 0-2 start. Trollano's late-game heroics erased a deficit and secured the thrilling comeback at Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal.
In a pulsating finish at the Ynares Center in Montalban, Rizal, Don Trollano emerged as the hero for the San Miguel Beermen, delivering 29 points to lead his team to a 94-92 win over the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2025-26 PBA Philippine Cup on Friday, November 7. Playing limited minutes due to a recent back injury, Trollano topped the scoring chart with remarkable efficiency, shooting 11 of 16 from the field for a 69% clip. He was fresh off missing San Miguel's previous 96-90 victory over Converge on November 2 because of back pain from their October 26 trip to Dubai, where they beat Barangay Ginebra 83-81 in the UAE.
Trollano's impact was most evident in the closing stages, where he scored seven of his points in the final 1:30 minutes. He completed a three-point play to narrow the gap and then drained a four-pointer to give San Miguel a 91-88 lead with just over a minute left. Free throws from June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez extended the advantage to 92-88, holding off Magnolia's late rally. “I just needed a rest because after Dubai, my back really hurt,” Trollano said. “I think resting for a couple of days helped.”
The recent Mr. Quality Minutes award winner from the PBA Press Corps lived up to his reputation despite the short playing time. Perez supported with 20 points, five steals, and four rebounds, while Fajardo added 18 points, nine rebounds, and two steals.
Magnolia's young stars Zavier Lucero and Jerom Lastimosa shone in the loss, with Lucero posting 20 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks, and Lastimosa contributing 17 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals. They helped mount an 86-80 lead in the fourth quarter after trailing by 18 points earlier. Rookie Chris Koon added 16 points, including a four-pointer that cut the deficit to 92-94 with under 10 seconds remaining. However, missed free throws by Perez and a final miss by Lastimosa sealed the Hotshots' fate, dropping them to 4-2. Ian Sangalang finished with 15 points and five rebounds.
Earlier that day, TNT overcame a 16-point deficit to beat Terrafirma 109-95, with Kelly Williams scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 rebounds to improve TNT to 5-1 and tie Rain or Shine for the lead.