San Miguel beats Converge 116-113 to stay alive

San Miguel secured a crucial victory against Converge in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup, winning 116-113 on Friday at Ynares Center.

Juami Tiongson led San Miguel with 22 points and four rebounds, while June Mar Fajardo contributed a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds.

Converge made a significant comeback from an 18-point deficit in the fourth quarter but fell short due to missed shots at the end of regulation, including Alec Stockton missing two crucial three-pointers inside the final minute.

San Miguel's win kept them in contention for a playoff spot, improving their record to 5-6 with key contributions from Fajardo and Malik Pope who also scored 22 points each.

Coach Leo Austria urged his players to maintain emotional control after they incurred technical fouls that nearly cost the team the game, emphasizing maturity as an area of improvement.

San Miguel's triumph denied Converge its solo lead in the conference, dropping them to fifth place (8-4 win-loss), while also snuffing out Blackwater's playoff hopes.