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Tag: Justin Patton

  • San Miguel to replace Justin Patton with Bennie Boatwright after shocking no-show

    San Miguel to replace Justin Patton with Bennie Boatwright after shocking no-show

    San Miguel Beermen find themselves under mounting pressure in the 2026 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup after slipping to ninth in the standings with just three wins so far in the conference.

     

    Their latest setback came on Sunday, April 12, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the Beermen suffered a 101–120 defeat to the Magnolia Hotshots. The loss was compounded by the sudden absence of import Justin Patton, who did not suit up for the contest, leaving San Miguel short-handed in a crucial matchup.

     

    In response to Patton’s unexplained no-show, San Miguel management has moved to replace him, with former Beermen import Bennie Boatwright emerging as the leading candidate to take over the role. Head coach Leo Austria confirmed the development after the game, describing the decision as necessary following what he termed “unprofessional behavior” from the departing import.

     

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    “The management, boss Robert Non, boss Gee Abanilla nag-usap kami and then, of course, we need a replacement. Yeah, I think in the next few days, we will find out. We are waiting for Bennie Boatwright. I think, maybe in the next game andiyan na siya,” Austria said in the postgame press conference.

     

    Austria also revealed that Boatwright had been in communication with the team even before the start of the conference, though his prior commitments with the Daegu KOGAS Pegasus in the Korean Basketball League prevented an earlier reunion with San Miguel.

     

    “Benny, we keep on communicating with him. Unfortunately, before itong mga import namin, may commitment siya sa Korea. From Taiwan to Korea, at the time, ongoing pa yung All-Filipino nun eh,” he added.

    According to Austria, concerns over Patton’s status began to surface in the days leading up to the game, with the import reportedly absent from practice for three consecutive sessions. The coach added that Patton had indicated fatigue rather than injury, making his sudden unavailability on game day particularly unexpected.

     

    “Last night I was able to talk to the driver and then he asked him, ano are you ready to play? He was in good spirits last night. That’s why I’m excited for him to come and play. But one hour before the game I heard he cannot play. That’s very unprofessional of him,” Austria said.

     

    “There’s no injuries eh. And I asked him, are you going to practice? He said I just want to rest dahil he’s tired. I said, okay, see you tomorrow. It’s very important practice for us to prepare because the situation right now is not cooperating with our standing. So I’m expecting na he will show up today. But wala eh,” he added.

     

    The veteran coach also stressed that the organization expects accountability moving forward, hinting at possible consequences following Patton’s sudden exit from team activities.

     

    “I don’t know anong magiging consequences niyan. Dahil it’s unprofessional eh, ganyan eh. And then, we are relying on his presence here because we know that we can win because he proved it in his first two games. He helped a lot. Kami naman, tao lang tayo. Pwede naman kami magpatawad. Pero he has to face the consequences na dapat mangyari sa kanya,” Austria concluded.

     

    San Miguel now turns its attention to stabilizing its import situation ahead of a crucial stretch in the elimination round. Boatwright, who previously played a pivotal role in the Beermen’s 2024 Commissioner’s Cup championship run after replacing Ivan Aska, is expected to rejoin the squad once final arrangements are completed.

     

    While no official timeline has been set for his arrival in Manila, San Miguel will be hoping to resolve the issue quickly as they prepare for their next assignment against the NLEX Road Warriors on Sunday, April 19, at the Ynares Center.

     

     

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  • Justin Patton shines under pressure, carries San Miguel to gritty win over Ginebra

    Justin Patton shines under pressure, carries San Miguel to gritty win over Ginebra

    Easter Sunday clash between the San Miguel Beermen and the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel was never just about standings in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup—it became a personal proving ground.

     

    Justin Patton made sure his answer was loud enough. In only his second game since taking over import duties, Patton delivered 19 points and 17 rebounds, anchoring San Miguel to a narrow 85-82 victory.

     

    But his biggest contribution went beyond the stat sheet—he took on the responsibility of guarding one of the league’s most feared players, Justin Brownlee.

     

    “I want to guard him. It’s a challenge. I’m out here, 7,000 miles away from home. I didn’t come here for no reason. I want to challenge myself. I want to be great every single day I wake up,” Patton said.

     

    “They say he is the better Justin so I want to see. I see that he had a good game today but we came with the ‘W.’ That’s all that matters,” the former NBA player added.

     

    Brownlee, as expected, delivered his usual game. He poured in 31 points, including a late surge in the fourth quarter that nearly turned the tide. Yet, the night exposed rare cracks—missed free throws in crunch time and limited presence on the boards, finishing with just three rebounds.

     

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    San Miguel head coach Leo Austria revealed that Patton’s defensive assignment wasn’t originally set in stone.

     

    “Actually, before the game, Justin Patton asked us if he can guard Brownlee but we were hesitant because we know Brownlee is really good whenever his guard is bigger than him. He can shoot from the perimeter, he can outrun him, he can drive, and that’s what happened,” Austria said.

     

    “But that’s not our only game plan. We also have a smaller guy. At the start, it was [Marcio] Lassiter and they took advantage of it. The next was Justin Patton, Mo Tautuaa, and Cahilig especially in the second quarter. We were able to limit his production at that time, but still, Brownlee is Brownlee. He was able to score 31 but the good thing was he wasn’t able to get rebounds. He only got three,’’ he added.

     

    For San Miguel, the victory was as much about identity as it was about execution. Still adjusting after an import switch, the Beermen showed they can win gritty and defensive battles.

     

    Now sitting at 3-2, they continue their climb up the standings, with momentum slowly building.

    “Every game presents a new challenge. You’ve got Justin Brownlee. We are a team that fight and we figure it out and that’s what we did today,” said Patton.

     

    Meanwhile, Ginebra is left to regroup after a loss that felt within reach. Despite Brownlee’s heroics, the big man couldn’t close, highlighting the fine margins that separate contenders in this stage of the conference.

     

    San Miguel looks to carry its surge into its next assignment against Rain or Shine on April 8 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, while Ginebra faces Magnolia on April 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

     

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  • Justin Patton sparks new-look San Miguel as Beermen regain confidence in PBA Season 50

    Justin Patton sparks new-look San Miguel as Beermen regain confidence in PBA Season 50

    After early struggles in the PBA Season 50 campaign, San Miguel found a spark in an unexpected place, a mid-conference reset powered by fresh legs and renewed purpose. The arrival of import Justin Patton didn’t just fill a roster spot—it shifted the team’s rhythm entirely.


    Making his debut at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the former NBA big man immediately imposed his presence, delivering 24 points on 10-of-19 shooting alongside 17 rebounds, two assists, three steals, and a block. 

     

    More than the numbers, it was the timing of his contributions fueling runs and stabilizing possessions that allowed the Beermen to wrest control and cruise to a 110–94 win over the Macau Black Knights.

     

    The victory marked a turning point for San Miguel, which improved to 2–2 after a shaky start. With Patton stepping in for former import Marcus Lee, the Beermen suddenly looked more balanced, blending inside dominance with transition efficiency.

     

    Leading the scoring charge was Cjay Perez, who poured in 26 points and provided the offensive burst that kept Macau at bay whenever the game threatened to tighten. Still, much of the postgame conversation centered on Patton’s seamless fit despite minimal preparation.

     

    “As of now it’s impressive. Maganda yung nilaro niya despite na isang practice lang ata siya. Hopefully sa mga susunod na games mag pick up pa yung laro niya,” Perez said.

     

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    Even veteran tactician Leo Austria recognized that what Patton showed was only the beginning.

    “Makikita niyo naman kanina, he really wanted to play, and I gave him a lot of time because hindi pa adjusted to the Philippine brand of basketball. He’s trying to figure it out,” head coach Leo Austria said.

     

    “Yesterday, we had a long practice, for him to know what kind of plays we’re going to run. The good thing with him, lahat ng sinasabi namin, he was able to pick it up right away,” he added.

     

    While the debut stole the spotlight, June Mar Fajardo quietly reminded everyone why he remains the league’s most dominant local force. The multi-time MVP chipped in with a triple-double, finishing with 16 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists, anchoring both ends with his trademark consistency.

     

    On the other side, the Black Knights continued their difficult introduction to the league, dropping to 0–5 despite solid efforts from Tony Mitchell, who posted 23 points and 10 rebounds, and Damian Chongqui, who added 19 points and seven assists.

     

    For San Miguel, however, the bigger picture now comes into focus. The win serves as both a confidence boost and a warning shot as they head into a brutal stretch against fellow contenders, the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, and Magnolia Hotshots.

     

    It all begins on Easter Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where tradition and rivalry collide once more.

     

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  • San Miguel mid-season change, taps Justin Patton to revive Commissioner’s Cup bid

    San Miguel mid-season change, taps Justin Patton to revive Commissioner’s Cup bid

    Three games into its Commissioner’s Cup campaign, San Miguel Beer has already decided it cannot afford to wait.

     

    After an uneven start to the PBA Season 50 conference, the Beermen have pulled the trigger on an early import change, bringing in former NBA big man Justin Patton to replace Marcus Lee in a move that signals both urgency and expectation from one of the league’s perennial title contenders.

     

    Patton, a 7-foot-1 center and former first-round NBA Draft pick, is expected to make his debut on Tuesday when San Miguel takes on the Macau Black Knights at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, just before the league pauses for the Holy Week break. For a team that entered the tournament carrying the confidence of being the reigning Philippine Cup champion, the switch reflects how quickly pressure can build when results do not match pedigree.

     

    San Miguel opened the conference with just one win in three games, a start that included disappointing losses to Titan Ultra and TNT, the latter an emphatic 118-92 defeat against a Tropang 5G side reinforced by Bol Bol. Those setbacks exposed issues on both ends of the floor and ultimately forced the Beermen to look for a different kind of presence in the middle.

     

    Patton arrives with a résumé that immediately stands out. He was selected 16th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls, and although much of his professional career was spent in the NBA G League, he also had stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Philadelphia 76ers, and Oklahoma City Thunder organizations. His most recent stop came with Cangrejeros de Santurce in Puerto Rico, giving him recent experience as an import and a chance to now reintroduce himself on the PBA stage.

     

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    The timing of the move is particularly notable because it comes right after Marcus Lee’s best game in a San Miguel uniform. In the Beermen’s loss to TNT, Lee posted 30 points and 14 rebounds, easily his most productive outing in the conference. But for San Miguel, one strong performance was not enough to outweigh a shaky overall start.

     

    Across his three games with the Beermen, Lee averaged 14.67 points, 10.33 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game. While those numbers are respectable on paper, they likely fell short of what the team expected from its reinforcement, especially considering how badly San Miguel struggled in certain stretches. His debut, in particular, set a difficult tone, as he was limited to just four points and five rebounds in the Beermen’s stunning loss to Titan Ultra on March 21.

     

    That inconsistency may have ultimately cost him his spot. For San Miguel, Patton is not just a replacement—he is a reset button. His size, mobility, and experience at higher levels of basketball could give the Beermen a different dimension inside, particularly against teams that have punished them with length, athleticism, and pace early in the conference.

     

    More than anything, though, this move reflects the standard San Miguel continues to hold itself to. A 1-2 start may not bury most teams, but for a franchise built on championships, it is enough to demand immediate action.

     

    Now, the question is whether Patton can provide the spark San Miguel believes it needs—or whether this early shake-up is just the beginning of a longer search for answers.

     

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