CONVERGE will look to make it two straight wins and send the series to a deciding Game Five against San Miguel in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup quarterfinals.
Here are the keys to Game Four.
Converge vs. San Miguel
What: Friday, October 4. 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ninoy Aquino Stadium
San Miguel out to finish off Converge after Game 3 collapse
The Beermen will try to clinch a semifinal berth one more time in the lone game of the day.
San Miguel collapsed in Game Three, squandering a 27-point lead to lose to Converge, 114-112, on a game-winner by Alec Stockton last Wednesday.
On the other hand, Converge hopes to sustain the momentum of that huge Game Three win and try to tie the best-of-five quarterfinal series at 2-2, and force a rubber match to be played on Sunday.
READ Stockton's step-back jumper he polished with help from Miller
Comeback kids
Game Three was the third time that Converge came back from a big deficit - 12 in Game One and 16 in Game Two, but Wednesday was the first time that the FiberXers were able to complete their comeback. For Game Four, however, Converge might need to take control of the match and not mount another rally against a San Miguel team determined to finish the series.
Stockton’s production was key
Alec Stockton’s game-winner capped off his splendid performance in Game Three where he scored a series-high 20 points. Stockton made the most of the opportunity after being called for a flagrant foul penalty two only for the sanction to be downgraded to a penalty one to avoid ejection. Stockton was only averaging 9.5 points in the first two matches of the series before playing a Game Three to remember.
Three-point shooting
Converge’s three-point shooting was key for their comeback, hitting six from downtown in the fourth as compared to San Miguel’s three. After shooting 1-of-5 in the first quarter, Bryan Santos suddenly became automatic and ended the game with a 5-10 clip from threes. San Miguel must contain the outside shooting in order to finish the series.
June Mar’s minutes in the fourth
The San Miguel coaching staff was criticized by fans online with the limited minutes that June Mar Fajardo played in the fourth. Replaced at the final five-minute mark of the game, Fajardo was brought back at the 1:11-mark of the game with Converge already ahead, 108-107. The Beermen might need Fajardo's presence in the fourth to seal the series.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
