The 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup continued on Wednesday with a double-header at the PhilSports Arena. Here’s a recap of the action:
Converge Rips Rain or Shine as Twin Towers, Dynamic Guards Shine
The deadly quartet of Alec Stockton, Schonny Winston, Justin Arana, and Justine Baltazar connived to lead the Converge FiberXers to a 107-97 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters for their third straight victory in the 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup.
Stockton and Winston both fired 24 points, with the former scattering 19 of his total in the second half and the latter adding 15 as they took over down the stretch. Arana and Baltazar, meanwhile, each finished with a double-double, with the former going off for 18 points and 17 rebounds and the latter chipping in 13 points and a game-high 22 boards.
The Elasto Painters, though, didn’t give up without a fight as they found themselves still ahead, 71-68, at the halfway point of the third behind the efforts of Gian Mamuyac, who scored 25 markers, and Leonard Santillan, who dropped a game-high 26. Keith Datu added 11 points and 10 rebounds in his 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup debut, but Beau Belga and Caelan Tiongson both remained sidelined with injuries.
The scores:
Converge (107) – Winston 24, Stockton 24, Arana 18, Baltazar 13, Racal 9, Suerte 7, Caralipio 5, Garcia 4, Santos 2, Corpuz 1, Delos Santos 0, Nermal 0, Ambohot 0
Rain or Shine (97) – Santillan 26, Mamuyac 25, Nocum 11, Lemetti 6, Norwood 5, Caracut 5, Asistio 5, Clarito 2, Escandor 1, Malonzo 0
Up Next:
Converge vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on May 10 (Bren Guiao Convention Center)
Rain or Shine vs. Blackwater Bossing on May 7 (Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
Ginebra Manhandles NorthPort Behind Torrid Shooting
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel shot lights out in the first quarter to build an early 40-24 lead en route to a 131-106 shellacking of the Arvin Tolentino-less NorthPort Batang Pier to move to 2-1 in the 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup.
Ginebra fired eight triples in the opening period alone and 17 overall, with RJ Abarrientos accounting for six of those treys to finish with a game-high 27. Newly reactivated Jayson David added four triples on four attempts as he scored a career-high 25 points. Stephen Holt chipped in 17, while Japeth Aguilar and Troy Rosario contributed 15 apiece as Ginebra bounced back from their embarrassing loss to the San Miguel Beermen.
William Navarro topscored for NorthPort with 19 points, while Sidney Onwubere had 17. Avan Nava chipped in 14, Jio Jalalon contributed 11, and Joshua Munzon scattered 10.
The scores:
Ginebra (131) – Abarrientos 27, David 25, Holt 17, J. Aguilar 15, Rosario 15, Malonzo 14, Ahanmisi 7, Cu 6, Pinto 2, Thompson 2, Mariano 1, Adamos 0, Pessumal 0, R. Aguilar 0
NorthPort (106) – Navarro 19, Onwubere 17, Nava 14, Jalalon 11, Munzon 10, Flores 10, Taha 8, Bulanadi 8, Cuntapay 3, Miranda 2, Kwekuteye 2, Nelle 2, Yu 0
Up Next:
Ginebra vs. NLEX Road Warriors on May 7 (Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
NorthPort vs. Meralco Bolts on May 9 (PhilSports Arena)
2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup Continues
The 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup continues on Friday with the league’s first ever visit to the newly opened Ynares Center – Montalban. Opening hostilities are the NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Bossing, followed by the Phoenix Fuel Masters and TNT Tropang 5G.
