Schonny Winston and the rest of the Converge FiberXers derailed San Miguel’s bid for a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
When push came to shove, Schonny Winston stepped up for Converge.
Winston looked like NBA Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as he knocked down mid-range jumpers, and, well, drew fouls as the FiberXers hammered out a pulsating 100-97 win over powerhouse San Miguel in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Wednesday, June 11.
Winston did everything for Converge — except dunk — and wound up with 26 points on 10-for-11 shooting from the stripe to go with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block.
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But like a true team player, the Filipino-American cager deferred to the rest of the FiberXers in their latest victory, which allowed them to end their elimination round assignment with a 7-4 mark.
“As a team, it showed we can compete. San Miguel is a very strong team with strong history,” Winston said after the match at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate.
“It gives us some motivation to continue to push going into the playoffs. We can do it, and it’s up to us.”
His seven straight points inside the final 4:08 allowed Converge to regain order, 94-93, before baskets by King Caralipio and JL delos Santos kept the Beermen at arm’s length.
Don Trollano launched a four-pointer for SMB to trim what was once a six-point lead to two, 97-99.
But Cjay Perez’s last-gasp trey in the left corner rimmed out as time expired, handing Winston and the rest of Converge the triumph.
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Also stellar for the FiberXers are Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar.
Arana finished with a second-best 21 points while Baltazar grabbed 12 rebounds and scored seven points.
The duo teamed up against eight-time MVP June Mar Fajardo, who still had a monstrous 17 points, 23 rebounds, seven assists, a steal and a block. But Arana and Baltazar made him bleed for that.
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Perez had 17 points for the Beermen, who ran into trouble as they were shooting for a twice-to-beat advantage. San Miguel now holds a 7-3 card.
Mo Tautuaa and Juami Tiongson, who spearheaded SMB's third quarter uprising that erased a double-digit deficit, added 14 and 13 points, respectively.
Converge vs. San Miguel scores:
CONVERGE 100 – Winston 25, Arana 21, Delos Santos 13, Stockton 7, Baltazar 7, R. Santos 6, B.Santos 6, Garcia 5, Racal 3, Caralipio 2, Corpuz 0.
SAN MIGUEL 97 – Fajardo 17, Perez 17, Tautuaa 14, Tiongson 13, Rosales 11, Cruz 8, Teng 4, Trollano 4, Lassiter 3, Cahilig 3, Brondial 3, Ross 0.
Quarterscores: 19-12, 53-37, 70-68, 100-97.