Defending champion San Miguel Beer ended the elimination round in the PBA Fiesta Cup the way coach Siot Tanquincen wanted it.

Jay Washington scored 19 points while import Gabe Freeman had 15 and 19 boards as the Beermen downed the Alaska Aces, 85-74, to close out the classification phase with a 13-5 record Saturday night at the Lamberto Macias Sports Center in Dumaguete City.

“My players showed a lot of energy, a lot of intensity, a lot of hustle. We just finished up our eliminations on a high note,” Tanquincen said after the Beermen secured at least a playoff for the last outright semifinal berth.

San Miguel can actually clinch the last outright semis slot without breaking a sweat if reigning champion B-Meg Derby Ace loses its game against Barako Bull Coffee in a game being played at presstime.

But if the Llamados prevail, they will tie the Beermen on similar 13-5 cards, thus forcing a playoff for the coveted slot in the semis.

Talk ‘N Text had already claimed the first outright seat and the top seeding in the Final Four after finishing the classification with 15-3 records.

Whatever happens to the B-Meg and Barako Bull game, Tanquincen said he is satisfied with SMB’s performance.

“We want to have our destiny in our control. We’ll just see what happens,” said Tanquincen of the Beermen, who triumphed for the second time against the Aces in their road-game presented by Phoenix Fuel.

Three players from San Miguel Beer finished in double-figures as Arwind Santos, Danny Ildefonso and Danny Seigle came off the bench to combine for 33 points.

The Tim Cone-mentored Alaska fell to 11-7 as it missed a chance of possibly forcing a three-way tie for second and a playoff berth for the last semifinals slot.

Instead, the Aces advanced as outright quarterfinalist.

The Aces got 19 points and 11 rebounds from import Diamon Simpson, while Cyrus Baguio contributed 17 and five assists. Joe Devance and Sonny Thoss added 12 and 11 points, respectively.