MANILA, Philippines — George King continued his strong start with San Miguel Beer, scoring 41 points to lead the Beermen to a 128-122 victory over Converge on Wednesday and a share of the Group A lead in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The win improved San Miguel’s record to 3-0, strengthening the club’s confidence that it has found a reliable import after changing reinforcements in recent conferences.
“Very, very safe,” assistant coach Peter Martin said when asked about King’s place on the roster.
CJ Perez added 31 points, while Marcio Lassiter scored 18 as the Beermen defeated the previously unbeaten FiberXers.
“We have a lot of luxuries on this team because it’s gonna be somebody else’s night,” King said. “We have a lot of veterans, a lot of good players, a lot of talent. That just goes back to how we’re gonna use our talent in a five-on-five setting.”
King, who previously played for Blackwater in 2024, said he is excited to be part of San Miguel’s veteran-loaded lineup.
The Beermen will put their unbeaten record on the line Sunday against fellow 3-0 squad NLEX at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“It’s nice to be in this position,” King said. “But I think our next game might be the toughest one.”
Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra looks to rebound from its opening-game loss when it faces Blackwater on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings dropped an 81-78 decision to Phoenix despite a 42-point performance from import Riley Grigsby and will again play without injured star Scottie Thompson. RJ Abarrientos, Troy Rosario, Nards Pinto and rookie John Abis are expected to take on bigger roles.
In Friday’s first game at 5:15 p.m., Meralco seeks to improve to 3-1 against winless Magnolia, while Blackwater enters its matchup with Ginebra carrying a 2-1 record.