SAN Miguel kept its unbeaten slate behind a huge third-quarter offensive explosion, beating Converge, 112-103, on Friday in the PBA 48th Season Philippine Cup at the Philsports Arena.
The Beermen scored 51 points in the third quarter to erase a 43-50 halftime deficit on their way to capturing their sixth straight victory to take first place in the team standings.
Converge remained winless in eight games despite showing a stand in the first half against mighty San Miguel.
Marcio Lassiter led the comeback for San Miguel by scoring 17 of his 19 points in that key third quarter that put the Beermen ahead, 94-70.
Lassiter also hit all of his five threes in the second half after missing his first four three-point shots.
“We just started badly again,” said San Miguel coach Jorge Gallent. “It was like the Terrafirma game when we had a long, long break and in the first quarter, we lacked energy, which happened again.”
“But just like what I tell my players, the game is not finished in the first half so you have to pick up in the second half which everybody did especially (Marcio),” said Gallent.
CJ Perez had 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Don Trollano had 19 points and eight rebounds for San Miguel, which also drew 14 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks from June Mar Fajardo.
Alec Stockton had a career-high 36 points in a losing cause for the FiberXers.
San Miguel will only have a one-day break as it will face NorthPort on Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
Converge will also play in the same playdate against Meralco and will try to capture its first win in that contest.
The scores:
San Miguel 112 – Perez 25, Lassiter 19, Trollano 19, Romeo 18, Fajardo 14, Teng 4, Brondial 4, Tautuaa 4, Brondial 4, Manuel 2, Ross 0.
Converge 103 – Stockton 36, Arana 18, Santos 14, Caralipio 13, Maagdenberg 6, Nieto 6, Melecio 3, Vigan-Fleming 3, Fornilos 2, Winston 2, Delos Santos 0, Andrade 0, Ambohot 0, Zaldivar 0.
Quarters: 20-29; 43-50; 94-70; 112-103.
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