The Converge FiberXers wowed at the Ynares Center in Montalban on Saturday, showing off talent, depth, and firepower in routing the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 129-92, in a dominant debut. Safe to say, the FiberXers are a force to reckon with this PBA Season 50—and possibly beyond.
What Happened?
Kevin Racal began the scoring at the 11:00 mark with a trey, and the FiberXers just kept piling it on and on and on. Converge ended the first on top, 29-20; extended the lead to 60-41 after two quarters; built a monstrous 91-63 cushion after three; and ended with a 129-92 final score. In short, what happened was the FiberXers dominated wire to wire. They’d have won even if Calvin Abueva didn’t tweak his hamstring early in the game.
Who Stood Out?
Juan Gomez de Liaño recorded the first-ever triple-double debut in PBA history, so yes, we’re going with him. The rookie put up 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a dream debut, while young vet Justin Arana dominated himself, recording 28 points and 22 rebounds in a yeoman’s effort.
Over at the Titan Ultra side, Joshua Munzon was left carrying the load without Abueva, and he responded with 31 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. His efforts, though, hardly matter against an explosive Converge side that played superb ball all game.
3 Keys to the Game
- Converge’s three-point shooting. The FiberXers and Giant Risers made nearly the same number of triples, 11-10, but the former shot a blistering 57.9% compared to the latter’s 32.3%. Converge also got timely 3s in the third—including back-to-back from Rey Suerte—just as Titan Ultra was in the midst of a run.
- Converge’s rebounding. Arana alone nearly had as many rebounds as the Giant Risers (22 to 33), highlighting the FiberXers’ dominant rebounding. They also grabbed 21 offensive rebounds to Titan Ultra’s 5, leading to a 12-2 advantage in second-chance points.
- Converge’s inside points. Led by a dominant Arana, the FiberXers complemented their hot three-point shooting with prolific inside play, outscoring the Giant Risers, 64-34, in the paint.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA goes back to Ynares Center in Antipolo on Sunday for the league’s usual family day doubleheader. The NLEX Road Warriors, fresh from their upset win on Friday, will face the Terrafirma Dyip in the first game, while the San Miguel Beermen, NLEX’s opening-game victim, will try to bounce back when they take on the Phoenix Fuel Masters.
NLEX vs. Terrafirma | San Miguel vs. Phoenix
