DEFENDING champion San Miguel Beer taught the Converge FiberXers a neat lesson yesterday, proving that when they are healthy and jiving, the Beermen are a different breed in the playoffs.
Bolstered by a fiery start and a sustained attack, SMB dismantled Converge 114-96 in Game 1 of their best-of-3 quarterfinals duel in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Wingman CJ Perez scattered 25 points, to go with four rebounds and three assists, for the fifth-ranked Beermen, while import Devon Scott chipped in 23 markers, 12 boards, and five dimes.
Prized center June Mar Fajardo also had 19 and 16, while Terrence Romeo and Marcio Lassiter added 13 and 11 points, respectively, for SMB, which went into the last eight armed with a 113-108 decision over Meralco six days ago.
Aside from bouncing back from a 102-106 loss to the FiberXers in their eliminations tiff last Oct. 21, the Beermen gained a crucial 1-0 edge in the race-to-2 series.
Converge reeled off to its third straight defeat, counting a 96-115 setback at the hands of Ginebra last Wednesday.
Game 2 is set on Saturday at the same venue, with SMB seeking to finish off the FiberXers and forge a semifinals showdown with either eliminations pacesetter Bay Area or No. 8 Rain or Shine.
A deciding third game, if necessary, will be held next Wednesday also at the Pasig-based arena.
SMB assistant strategist Jorge Gallent said the team is now at full strength with the return of Fajardo and Romeo.
“It’s just the jelling of the team. It’s much better now, they’re jelling, and the best part is everybody is healthy,” said Gallent, who continues to call the shots for coach Leo Austria who is still under the league’s health and safety protocols.
“Everybody is doing their job and it’s nice to have a healthy team. In the first few parts of the eliminations, we had a lot of injuries, we had to deal with all of that. Now, we’re healthy and the jelling is there,” he added.
The Beermen zoomed to a fast start and took a 55-22 spread at the halfway mark.
SMB stretched the difference to as much as 80-49 on a Perez layup with 5:52 remaining in the third canto and was in firm command 88-65 heading into the payoff period.
Converge threatened at 87-98 on an Aljun Melecio three-pointer with 6:03 left but that proved to be the FiberXers’ most noteworthy stand as the Beermen held their ground from thereon.
Reinforcement Quincy Miller carried the fight for Converge with 41 points, 13 caroms, and two feeds, while Melecio had 11 markers.
Justin Arana and Abu Tratter also got 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the FiberXers.
