SMB smothers Converge, sets up semis duel with Bay Area
June Mar Fajardo and the rest of San Miguel Beer prove to be too much against upstart Converge. Photo courtesy of PBA Media Bureau
Watch out, Bay Area, here comes San Miguel Beer.
The Beermen arranged an exciting best-of-five semifinals series with the visiting Dragons after smothering upstart Converge, 120-107, on 10 December in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Philsports Arena.
By flexing their muscles against the FiberXers anew, the Beermen completed a sweep of their best-of-three quarterfinals series for a duel with the Dragons, the most dominant visiting squad to play in the PBA the past four decades.
The two teams clash beginning 14 December.
June Mar Fajardo, six-time Most Valuable Player, announced his readiness to play in the semis. So did three-time scoring champion Terrence Romeo. The duo, who had just rejoined the team after being sidelined by injuries, have made San Miguel Beer every bit of a championship contender.
The 6-foot-10 Fajardo nearly came away with a triple-double performance, tallying 18 points, 18 rebounds and seven assists.
Romeo, who's been out of action for nine months, and just played his third game, exploded for 22 on 7-of-11 shooting from the field.
More than the fearsome twosome, the Beermen's depth was too much, as import Devon Scott, and Simon Enciso, Jericho Cruz and CJ Perez scored 12 or more for the winningest franchise in PBA history.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL 120 – Romeo 22, Scott 20, Fajardo 18, Enciso 16, Cruz 15, Perez 12, Lassiter 9, Brondial 8, Ross 0, Canete 0
CONVERGE 107 – Teng 25, Miller 24, Ahanmisi 12, Ilagan 10, Racal 8, Tratter 7, Melecio 7, Stockton 5, Arana 4, Bulanadi 3, Hill 2, Murrell 0
QUARTERS: 27-15, 61-44, 97-74, 120-107