CONVERGE pulled off a breathtaking victory over powerhouse San Miguel Beer last Wednesday night in what FiberXers interim coach Franco Atienza referred to as a big character-building triumph for his charges.
“It was a very tough game. Alam naman natin na perennial title contender ang SMB. With the performance that they have during this conference, and even the past conferences, it’s a tall order. I think we were able to hold them down to 12 points in the first quarter. That’s huge,” Atienza said. “Their overall offensive rating was under 40 percent. Malaking bagay iyon sa depensa namin. But we know, we were aware na San Miguel is too good a team para i-hold mo sa ganoon the whole game.
“We were ready for that comeback and maganda na we started strong. Somewhere, like you said, in the third and fourth, we gave up 30-point quarters. But what’s nice kasi we were able to give it but still finished strong,” he added.
Atienza spoke after his team nipped the Beermen 100-97 to end the eliminations still in the hunt for a top-four finish in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The hard-earned triumph that saw the FiberXers lose an 18-point third quarter spread but hang tough in the endgame that served as an encore to a 117-103 win over the Terrafirma Dyip last May 28 and end the elims with a 7-4 card—assured of at least a sixth seed spot.
“We started the game well. There was a challenge, there was a comeback, but we were able to pull through. For a young team like ours, napaka-importante noon kasi that builds character, iyong nasusubukan ka, the nerves, the pressure,” Atienza said.
“We can do everything sa practice. Pero iyong pressure na iyon, hindi mo mailalabas sa practice iyon, sa game mo lang makukuha iyon.
Schonny Winston shone for Converge with a game-high 25 points, to go with four rebounds, and four assists while Justin Arana chipped in 21 markers, two boards, and three dimes.
JL Delos Santos also had 13 and three for the FiberXers.
The defeat derailed SMB’s bid to gain No. 1 after the Beermen hacked out a 120-111 triumph over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last Saturday in Cagayan de Oro City.
Passing the big SMB test should work wonders for Converge in the quarterfinals, according to Atienza.
“Coming to the playoffs, malaking bagay iyon. Maybe somehow may memory na kami on how we were able to play that way, especially sa endgame. Sa last five minutes, I told the guys na mga 12-10 possessions ito, kailangan maka-stop tayo, kailangan makatahi tayo ng stop and make. We stayed together,” he said. “Talagang marami kaming kailangan gawin and maraming kaming kailangan pagpalit-palitin para makasagot kami dito sa SMB.
“It’s nice lang na nag-respond iyong team. So, all the credit is to them kasi na-execute iyong game plan namin.”
