PBA: San Miguel bounces back, stifles Converge

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The San Miguel Beermen returned to the PBA Governors’ Cup win column after disconnecting the Converge FiberXers, 126-114, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum on Aug. 5, 2026.

Just like in their second-half turnaround against the Titan Ultra Giant Risers on July 29, 2026, the Beermen leaned on a massive third-quarter surge to flip the switch and take control of the game.

Holding a one-point lead at halftime, 65-64, San Miguel sucked the life out of Converge after delivering an early exclamation point with a 37-21 outburst.

Leading the way for the Beermen was scoring machine and import George King, who poured in 15 of his conference-high 46 points in the third frame alone.

King was unstoppable in the third quarter after schooling the entire Converge defense with his elite shot-making, isolation scoring, and efficient post play when the FiberXers attempted to deny him the ball at the top of the key.

The star reinforcement kicked off his third-quarter masterclass with a pair of 3-pointers, followed by a series of mano-a-mano conversions from the perimeter.

Converge quickly adjusted by double-teaming King upon receiving the ball, but the Beermen countered with a high-low post play, allowing their import to negate the double team by receiving the ball in the post.

All of a sudden, San Miguel’s advantage grew to 17 points, and the Beermen never looked back, while the FiberXers remained stuck in their predictable offensive schemes, which derailed their chances of a fourth-quarter comeback.

Rattled and surprised by what transpired in a jiffy, Converge’s defensive lapses also cost the team the game, as San Miguel continued to expose its miscues, especially in the post, where the Beermen feasted in the final period.

Aside from his new conference high, King was also aggressive on the boards, collecting 14 rebounds alongside six assists.

Don Trollano backstopped King’s scoring spree with 27 points, while Jerrick Ahanmisi chipped in 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from downtown.

On the other hand, Jamaal Franklin held his ground against the Beermen, managing to deliver a double-double of 26 points and 12 rebounds for Converge.

San Miguel aims to win two games in a row on Aug. 8, 2026, against the Macau Giant Pandas, while Converge seeks to arrest its skid on Aug. 11, 2026, against the Terrafirma Dyip.