Author: Martin Bolima
Photo Credit: PBA Images
The Converge FiberXers aren’t letting their new lease of life go kaput just yet.
The scrappy FiberXers lived to fight yet another day, beating the San Miguel Beermen 114-100 in Game 4 of their best-of-five quarterfinals series at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila on Friday night, October 4.
Fresh off a scintillating 114-112 victory in Game 3, Converge stood toe-to-toe with the Beermen in the first half of Game 4, matching the June Mar Fajardo-led squad basket for basket despite early foul trouble for import Jalen Jones.
FiberXers Take Control in the Third Quarter
But come the third canto, the FiberXers began gaining control, using superb ball movement and a balanced attack to outscore San Miguel, 37-24, and turn a four-point halftime deficit into an 88-79 lead going into the payoff period.
Converge then kept San Miguel at bay in the fourth, leaning on the steady playmaking of point guard Alec Stockton and big man Justin Arana. The FiberXers also got two huge triples from stretch four Bryan Santos to put away the Beermen, who have now lost three in a row—Game 3 of this series, their EASL opener versus Suwon KT, and now Game 4.
Schonny Winston led a balanced Converge effort with 26 points, while Arana and Jones added 25 and 22 markers, respectively.
The winner-take-all Game 5 is scheduled on Sunday, October 6, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The scores:
- Converge – Winston 26, Arana 25, Jones 22, Stockton 16, Caralipio 10, Santos 9, Cabagnot 5, Ambohot 1
- San Miguel – Anosike 35, Fajardo 17, Lassiter 15, Perez 11, Cruz 10, Romeo 5, Trollano 4, Rosales 2, Tautuaa 1
