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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider SMB guns for win-once incentive vs Converge

SMB guns for win-once incentive vs Converge

Published Jun 10, 2025 02:33 pm

At A Glance

  • San Miguel Beer guns for an assured Top 4 spot and a quarterfinals win-once incentive when it takes on Converge in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday, June 11.
San Miguel Beer guns for an assured Top 4 spot and a quarterfinals win-once incentive when it takes on Converge in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday, June 11.
The Beermen are currently at the second spot of the standings with a 7-2 record and an eighth win in the 7:30 p.m. showdown against the FiberXers would allow the team to clinch the second twice-to-beat advantage.
SMB even has the chance of clinching the top seed even if NLEX goes on to win its final game in the elimination round against the also-ran NorthPort in the first offering at 5 p.m.
But of course, everything would depend on whether the Beermen can close out the elimination strong beginning with the well-rested FiberXers who are coming off a 13-day respite.
Mathematically, Converge, which holds a 6-4 record, is still in the hunt for the Top 4 but it needs to win its game against SMB, hope for the teams above it to lose their games, and then pray to get a favorable quotient when it boils down to multiple ties.
Regardless of the outcome though, a win against San Miguel just before the playoffs should be enough of a morale-boost for Converge.
And that’s exactly why SMB head coach Leo Austria is refusing to be complacent against Converge especially that it has the tools in the likes of Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar to match up with eight-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo.
It’s still unlikely that the FiberXers will already have two-time Finals MVP Mikey Williams whose signing rights they acquired in a trade with TNT for Jordan Heading, although the team remained potent with Alec Stockton and Schonny Winston manning the backcourt.
For SMB, aside from Fajardo, it will need to rely on CJ Perez, who went off with a season-high 33 points in an out-of-town 120-111 win over Rain or Shine in Cagayan de Oro, as well as the able supporting cast that featured the likes of Marcio Lassiter, Don Trollano and Juami Tiongson.
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