Donovan Smith made a triumphant return to the PBA, leading Converge to a dominant victory over an import-less Phoenix squad on Wednesday.
Smith, who missed significant time due to injury, wasted no time making an impact. He finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, anchoring Converge's offense and defense in the 118-92 blowout at the Araneta Coliseum.
"I felt great out there," Smith said. "My teammates did a great job finding me, and I just tried to do what I could to help us win."
Converge came out firing, taking an early lead that they never relinquished. By halftime, they had built a 20-point cushion, and the second half was a formality.
Phoenix, playing without their import, struggled to find any rhythm offensively. They shot just 38% from the field and turned the ball over 17 times.
"It's tough playing without an import, but that's no excuse," Phoenix coach Jamike Jarin said. "We just didn't execute well enough on either end."
Converge coach Aldin Ayo praised his team's focus and energy.
"We knew Phoenix was shorthanded, but we didn't want to let up," Ayo said. "I'm proud of the way we came out and played from start to finish."
Jeron Teng added 18 points for Converge, while Mike DiGregorio chipped in 15. For Phoenix, Matthew Wright led the way with 22 points.
With the win, Converge improves to 5-3, while Phoenix drops to 3-5.