Juami Tiongson on Friday night turned in his best scoring performance since joining the vaunted San Miguel squad, helping the Beermen stay in the race for the last two quarterfinal berths in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The 2021 Most Improved Player scattered 22 points in the much-needed 116-113 triumph over Converge at Ynares Center in Antipolo City, his scoring performance a throwback to his exploits when he was still with Terrafirma.

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But knowing his place in a team littered with talents like June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano and Mo Tautuaa, Tiongson said his great play that night was by accident more than design.

“My role, really, and as coach Leo [Austria] mentioned, is to get everyone involved first,” he pointed out shortly after being named the Best Player of the Game.

“[Only] if there’s a chance where I can call a pick-and-roll [play] for myself, or a chance to be aggressive, that is my opportunity,” he went on.

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Tiongson has been a steady contributor since joining San Miguel before the conference. But it was on the night when the Beermen battled a budding rival with their own playoff hopes on the line that he made his most impact.

If there’s anything nostalgic about how he came through against the FiberXers that evening, it was because it reminded him about his varsity days.

Like in college

“This is relatable to the time I was with Ateneo, when we had a lot of superstars,” he said. “My role was for everyone to get their rhythm, and then eventually I’d get myself going.

“Scoring will always be there for me. I’m confident that I can score anytime or create a shot for myself,” he added. “What’s important for this team is making June Mar and CJ a priority. They’ve won a championship already and I’m the new guy who’s still getting his feet wet.”

Tiongson recognizing the bounds of his duty couldn’t come more timely for San Miguel, the league’s proverbial bar for excellence. The Beermen have a surplus of alpha dogs and truly capable players, but no business dealing with distraction especially when they are trying to avoid their first playoff absence since the 2015 edition of the same conference.