The Converge FiberXers (1-0) took control from start to finish, leading by as many as 39 points in a one-sided 129-92 victory over the Titan Ultra Giant Risers (1-1). Meanwhile, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (1-0) rallied from 16 points down to pull off an intense 96-95 win against the Meralco Bolts (0-2) on October 11.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Justin Arana C CON 28 PTS | 22 REB | 3 AST | 57.9 FPS
Arana was unstoppable, recording a double-double in just the first half while shooting an impressive 70.6% from the field. Last conference, he averaged 16.5 points and 10.7 rebounds on an impressive 49% shooting.
Justine Baltazar PF CON 15 PTS | 11 REB | 5 AST | 42.7 FPS
Baltazar was a dominant force inside the paint, recording seven offensive rebounds and three blocks. Since last conference, he has averaged 14.4 points and 11.7 rebounds over his last nine games.
Joshua Eugene Munzon SG TIT | 31 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 42.5 FPS
Munzon started slow but erupted for 18 points in the fourth quarter. Despite his strong start to the season, his defensive game hasn’t been the same, recording only one steal so far after being among the league’s top players in steals last conference.
Juan Gerardo Gomez de Liano PG CON 15 PTS | 10 REB | 11 AST | 40.5 FPS
Gomez de Liano made a one-of-a-kind debut, finishing with a triple-double and becoming the first player in PBA history to do so. He led their offense brilliantly, scoring 7 points in the first quarter and shooting a perfect 3-for-3 from three.
Caelan Todd Tiongson PF ROS 23 PTS | 10 REB | 1 STL | 38.5 FPS
Tiongson took over in the fourth, scoring 10 points including a clutch four-point basket that helped force the game into overtime. In the last conference playoffs, he was one of the team’s offensive anchors, posting 16.5 points per game in a six-game series against TNT.
Kier John Quinto SF MER 18 PTS | 10 REB | 1 STL | 36.0 FPS
Quinto made a lot of positive impact in the game, finishing with a team-high +22 in plus-minus. He’s also a very capable scorer, reaching double-digit points in 7 of his last 9 games since the last conference.
Crispin John Cansino SF MER 18 PTS | 8 REB | 1 STL | 31.6 FPS
Cansino continues to step up in offense, leading the team in scoring for the second-straight game. However, he struggled to stay efficient, shooting just 7-for-20 from the field, including 2-for-8 from three.
Clifford Marion Hodge PF MER 5 PTS | 16 REB | 1 STL | 26.2 FPS
Hodge played a major role in their defense. Last season, he averaged 6.2 rebounds per game and 1.5 stocks in 36 games.
Deschon Winston SG CON 16 PTS| 3 REB | 2 AST | 25.6 FPS
Schonny had a strong offensive performance, shooting 4-for-6 from two and a perfect 5-for-5 from the line. Last conference, he was the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 16.1 points on 57.4% shooting from two.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Chris Newsome SG MER 12 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST
Newsome continues to struggle in this conference. He had a rough first half, scoring only two points while also getting into foul trouble. Although he managed to bounce back in the second half, his scoring remained limited, finishing just 3-for-13 from the field.
