King pours in 46 as Beermen overpower FiberXers

San Miguel Beer bounced back from its previous defeat with a commanding 126-114 victory over Converge in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Governors' Cup on Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

The Beermen broke open a tight contest with another explosive third quarter, outscoring the FiberXers 37-20 to turn a one-point halftime lead into a commanding 102-85 advantage entering the final period.

The victory improved San Miguel to 5-2 in Group A following its overtime loss to TNT, while Converge dropped its fourth straight game to fall to 3-4.

The win also marked the return of veteran head coach Leo Austria, who resumed coaching duties after missing the Beermen's first six games while recovering from a heart procedure.

"I'm thankful to have another opportunity to coach the team," Austria said. "I also want to thank the people who helped save my life."

Import George King once again led San Miguel, erupting for 46 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. He scored 15 points in the pivotal third quarter to spearhead the Beermen's decisive run.

Don Trollano added 27 points off the bench, while Jerrick Ahanmisi contributed 15 points, including two three-pointers.

June Mar Fajardo finished with an unusual double-double of five points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists as he dominated the boards and facilitated San Miguel's offense.

"He wasn't thinking about scoring," Austria said of Fajardo. "He focused on rebounding and creating opportunities for his teammates."

Converge stayed within striking distance during the opening half behind Jamaal Franklin, who posted 26 points and 12 rebounds. Calvin Abueva matched that output with 26 points and 12 rebounds in one of his best performances since joining the FiberXers.

Justine Baltazar added 19 points and eight rebounds, Justin Arana recorded 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Juan Gomez de Liano nearly posted a triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists.

San Miguel's dominant third-quarter surge, however, proved decisive as the Beermen strengthened their position near the top of the Group A standings.