WATCH: Interview with Best Player Marcio Lassiter and Coach Jorge Gallent [Apr. 19, 2024]

Marcio Lassiter overcame a shaky first half performance to ignite a third quarter surge that propelled San Miguel Beer to their sixth consecutive victory, defeating Converge with a score of 112-103 in the PBA Philippine Cup at the PhilSports Arena.

The Beermen staged an impressive comeback after trailing 43-50 at halftime, exploding for 51 points in the third quarter. Lassiter was instrumental in this turnaround, sinking six consecutive shots in the period, including all five of his three-point attempts, finishing with a total of 19 points.

With key contributions from CJ Perez, Don Trollano, and June Mar Fajardo, SMB extended their lead to 93-68 at one point, ultimately securing a comfortable 104-79 advantage with just over seven minutes left in the game.

Remaining undefeated, San Miguel Beer has all but guaranteed themselves a spot in the quarterfinals, pending further wins in their upcoming elimination round matches. Coach Jorge Gallent emphasized the need to address slow starts, a recurring issue highlighted in previous games against Terrafirma and now Converge, who took an early 34-22 lead.

Perez nearly achieved a triple-double with 25 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists, while Trollano, who struggled in the first half, finished with 19 points and eight rebounds.

Terrence Romeo contributed 18 points, 13 of which came in the second quarter to keep SMB in the game, and Fajardo added 14 points, 17 rebounds, and four blocks. The absence of Jericho Cruz, due to a left knee injury, was felt by the Beermen.

Converge suffered their eighth consecutive loss and 12th overall since the start of the Commissioner’s Cup, effectively ruling them out of playoff contention. Despite Alec Stockton’s career-high 36 points and Justin Arana’s 18 points, their efforts were in vain against San Miguel Beer’s dominant performance.