PBA Cup Finals 2015: San Miguel Beermen vs. Alaska Aces Results for Game 7

The San Miguel Beermen beat the Alaska Aces 80-78 in the final game of a thrilling seven-match series to take the PBA Cup. The win means the Beermen edge the series 4-3, marking the 20th time in the team's history that it has won this prestigious event.

The result was confirmed by PBAonTV5: 

With nothing between these two, seats were at a premium for the final game of the series, as we can see here, courtesy of sports reporter Fraulein Olavario:

Despite six thrilling, even games, the Beermen always looked as though they boasted superior players. Given the pressure of the final game, experience was going to be a crucial factor.

As noted by Inquirer Sports, the Beermen edge out the Aces when it comes to overall wins in this competition:

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Leo Austria's side began the decisive match the better of the two teams. It raced to a nine-point lead at the end of the first stanza, but when you consider Alaska's penchant for launching late comebacks in games, that margin was never going to be enough to settle the nerves.

Miguel Angel Morenatti/Associated Press

It’s something the Beermen seemed acutely aware of, as they kept the pressure on throughout the second quarter.

Analyst Ronnie Nathanielsz was unhappy with some of the calls going against the Aces, though:

But the Alaska outfit was struggling to handle the talents of June Mar Fajardo and Arwind Santos, who helped the Beermen extend their lead to 48-27 at the midway point of the match. Sadly for the Aces, they were staring down the barrel of an emphatic final-game loss.  

Stanley Chou/Getty Images

But this team has shown on myriad occasions throughout this series that they are at their most dangerous with their backs to wall, and they did so again with a superb rally in the third quarter. By the end of it, they had pulled the score back to 62-59 and were set for an enthralling finish to the match.

Sports writer Carlo Pamintuan paid tribute to the tactics employed by the Aces:

In the final quarter, the Aces looked by far the stronger team and continued to put the Beermen under pressure. They took the lead early in the final stanza and seemed poised to push on to take victory. But their opponents would not yield, and they clung on as the clock ticked down.

Going into the final minute, the Aces boasted a two-point lead, but Santos nailed a three-pointer to push the Beermen back in front and into a 79-78 lead. Another point from Santos extended the margin to 80-78, and the Beermen held on for an exceptionally narrow victory.

Philstar.com was quick to congratulate the winning side:

It's a shame to see a loser here. Both sides played with admirable spirits and treated us to a final game that embodied the quality and fight possessed by the pair.

It'd be no surprise to see these two battling it out again at this stage the next time these finals come around.