By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
June Mar Fajardo’s most dominant outing in the PBA quarterfinals came at a perfect time after schooling the Converge FiberXers with a game-high 40-point performance on October 6, 2024.
The league’s only eight-time Most Valuable Player showed why he is already at the Mount Rushmore of the PBA after steering the San Miguel Beermen to a series-clinching 109-105 victory over Converge to formally book a ticket to the semifinal round of the Governor’s Cup Playoffs.
San Miguel badly needed Fajardo’s dominance after finding themselves in a deep hole against the huge underdogs of the import-laced conference.
After going up to a comfortable 2-0 series lead, the Beermen collapsed in Games 3 & 4, allowing the FiberXers to level at 2-all and drag the showdown to a winner-take-all Game 5 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Converge’s cinderella story kicked off to a great start in Game 5 as their hot shooting from downtown propelled them to a 13-point lead.
On the other hand, the Beermen looked like they hadn’t escaped from their past woes as their sloppy execution and turnovers paved the way for Converge’s ideal start in a knockout playoff game.
All thanks to Fajardo, the Beermen recovered slowly in the game as the behemoth center carried San Miguel on his back with a performance for the ages.
Midway through the second quarter, the Beermen coaching staff turned their offensive focal point to Fajardo, feeding him the leather every time he established position in the shaded lane.
From his post jumpers to collecting offensive rebounds for a bunch of second-chance points, Fajardo’s performance ignited the whole San Miguel mob and finally received a balanced contribution when the second half kicked off.
The final two quarters of the game went to a nip-and-tuck affair as both squads traded lead changes but San Miguel was able to hang on and ride on Fajardo’s back in the most crucial stretch of the fourth canto.
Fajardo cashed in the cold-blooded free throw that extended San Miguel’s cushion to four points, 109-105, which was enough to separate themselves from the FiberXers who failed to sink a basket to pull to within a point.
San Miguel survived the vintage performance of their former star guard who is now with Converge, Alex Cabagnot, who fired 14 markers alongside three rebounds and three assists.
Cabagnot, who stole the limelight during San Miguel’s ‘Death Five’ era together with Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Marcio Lassiter, and Chris Ross, acted as Converge’s stabilizer by burying the big shots to counter every run made by the Beermen.
However, Fajardo’s paint dominance backstopped by EJ Anosike’s 23-point and 10 rebounds double-double proved to be too much for the FiberXers.
With the win, the Beermen will only have two days of rest before returning to the PBA hardwood as they are set to face the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the semifinal round.
In the other bracket, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters will aim to sustain their fiery campaign against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and the TNT Tropang Giga.
