San Miguel was tougher in the endgame this time as it took down Converge again, 107-100, to take a 2-0 lead in their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series, Saturday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
EJ Anosike and CJ Perez delivered the major blows in their 10-4 finishing kick as the Beermen showed how much they’ve learned from that near-collapse in Game 1, in the process moving just a win away from a semifinal appearance.
“We did better now. We were really composed, especially in the last six minutes of the ball game,” said head coach Jorge Gallent.
Anosike showed the way with 41 points, nine rebounds, and five assists as the American-Nigerian winger has seemingly acclimatized to the perennial contenders’ scheme of things and to his new teammates as well.
Eight-time MVP Fajardo, the leading Best Player of the Conference candidate, finished with his usual double-double of 15 points and 16 rebounds.
Kris Rosales made 11 points, while Perez added for SMB, who can finish the series in Game 3 on Monday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“I think it was a good effort by the team. When everyone plays well, the energy is contagious,” said Anosike, who shot 58.3-percent from the field.
Converge, on the other hand, was led by Jalen Jones with 36 points and 12 rebounds as the team fell short again in its comeback bid.
Like in the first game where they threatened after facing a double-digit deficit, the FiberXers did it again this time, trimming what was once an 11-point gap to just a point, 96-97, behind Bryan Santos with 3:03 remaining.
Marcio Lassiter, though, would nail a corner triple shortly after. Fajardo, Jones, and Perez then came through afterward to seal the victory.
Alec Stockton scored 14 points, while Santos and Justin Arana added 12 points apiece in the loss, which put Converge in danger of being swept again.
The Scores:
San Miguel 107 – Anosike 41, Fajardo 15, Rosales 11, Perez 10, Lassiter 9, Romeo 8, Trollano 7, Cruz 6, Enciso 0, Brondial 0, Teng 0, Ross 0, Manuel 0.
Converge 100 – Jones 36, Stockton 14, Arana 12, Santos 12, Winston 8, Andrade 8, Ambohot 4, Delos Santos 4, Cabagnot 2, Melecio 0, Caralipio.
Quarterscores: 23-25, 48-51, 78-72, 107-100.
