Two teams looking to notch one of the four win-once incentives—Converge FiberXers and NLEX Road Warriors, closed the curtain on PBA Philippine Cup action on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. In the end, the FiberXers kept their top-four hopes and dashed those of the Road Warriors with a hard-fought 107-95 victory. With the victory, Converge moved up to 7-4 and could wind up tied with several other teams. NLEX, on the other hand, dropped to 6-5 and could land anywhere between sixth and eighth.
What Happened?
NLEX, who played without superstar guard Robert Bolick, seemed to have the upper hand most of the way, turning the game into a grind-it-out contest and keeping the Converge offensive juggernaut largely in check. NLEX even built as much as an 11-point lead at one point, only to let the FiberXers get back into it slowly but surely. Jong Uichico’s wards were still ahead, 82-77, with less than four minutes left when Converge went on an 8-0 run—including six off layups—to finally grab the lead, 85-82.
NLEX tied things up at 85 with less than a minute left, but Justine Baltazar converted an and-1 off an offensive board to give the FiberXers the lead again. They were still ahead, 90-86, with 3.5 seconds left before Jonnel Policarpio hit a desperation four-point heave at the buzzer to send the game to OT. But it was all Converge in extra time, scoring the first eight points to finally wrest control and the win.
Who Stood Out?
Justine Baltazar and Juan Gomez de Liaño were brilliant all game long. Baltazar was a man among boys in the paint, putting up a gargantuan 25-point, 24-rebound double-double and converting on that huge and-1 in regulation. Gomez de Liaño, meanwhile, notched his third triple-double of the season as he finished with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, on top of 4 steals. He also hit a dagger four-pointer early in OT to give Converge a 98-90 cushion.
On the other side, various Road Warriors stepped up at different parts of the game, so much so that six players ended up in double digits. The most consistent, though, was Kevin Alas, who finished with 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, but just couldn’t lead NLEX to the upset.
3 Keys to the Game
- Defense. Converge isn’t exactly known as a defensive juggernaut, but it played great defense when it mattered most: in the fourth quarter. Specifically, the FiberXers forced three straight turnovers down the stretch of regulation—all on steals—to take the lead.
- Offensive rebounding. The FiberXers had the size advantage inside over NLEX, and they took full advantage, grabbing 24 offensive rebounds to the Road Warriors’ 15. Baltazar alone had 12, including that one he grabbed with under two minutes left for a big and-1. In all, Converge outscored NLEX 17-7 off second-chance points.
- Interior scoring. Converge also used its sizable height advantage up front to outscore NLEX, 64-40, in the paint. Baltazar scored most of his 25 markers off inside incursions, while Justin Arana had most of his 19 in the paint as well.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA Philippine Cup will hold its penultimate play date on Friday, also at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The TNT Tropang 5G and Blackwater Bossing face off in the first game, while the Meralco Bolts and San Miguel clash in the nightcap.
TNT vs. Blackwater (5:15 p.m.)
Meralco vs. San Miguel (7:30 p.m.)
