The Converge FiberXers will be heading into the PBA’s long break riding a two-game winning streak thanks in part to Juan Gomez de Liaño, whose endgame flourish allowed Converge to survive the importless NLEX Road Warriors, 112-110, on Friday.
For a moment, it appeared as if NLEX had seized momentum, taking a 99-97 lead on a desperation four-pointer from Robert Bolick. But, in the very next possession, JGDL retook the lead for Converge, 101-99, on a rainbow four of his own. He then added a jumper and went 4-for-4 from the line to seal the game.
Converge coach Delta Pineda isn’t surprised. In fact, he himself asked his precocious rookie to take charge down the stretch. It’s what great players do, after all.
“He took charge in the crucial minutes. Juan took charge,” Pineda told reporters after the FiberXers’ win at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. “‘Yun din naman ang sinabi ko sa kaniya na he needs to take charge. He did his part. Juan is a great player. ‘Yung mga crucial moment na ganun, we can go for Juan.”
Converge went to Juan, indeed. And the rookie delivered.
Pineda Wants Better Converge Defense
Of course, Converge wouldn’t have needed JGDL’s endgame heroics if it only played better defense against an NLEX team without an import. That isn’t lost on Pineda either as he stressed the need for the FiberXers to be better in that department.
“Back-to-back [wins], but we need more adjustment on defense. Imagine, they don’t have an import but it’s a close game. So, more adjustments this coming break, more adjustments sa defense,” he pointed out.
That defense certainly needs work as Converge giving up 110 points to NLEX isn’t a one-off. In this PBA Governors’ Cup, the FiberXers are surrendering the third most points—110.9 points per game—to opponents, just behind the Titan Ultra Giant Risers (122.3 points) and Macau Giant Pandas (121.6). They are also tied with the Terrafirma Dyip as the league’s worst team in forcing turnovers at 11.6 a game.
So, yes, it’s great that Converge has a great player that can take charge down the stretch. But it will still need to play better defense if it wants to level up this conference.
