Here are the players who made the biggest impact on October 16 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Kobey Ketavong Lam MGP SG 49 PTS | 6 REB | 3 STL | 65.2 FPS
Lam was one of the few bright spots for Macau today. He put the team on his back, knocking down 4 threes and 2 fours for 29 first-half points before setting a new career high in scoring.
Ricci Paolo Rivero PHX SF 26 PTS | 9 REB | 7 AST | 58.3 FPS
Rivero took charge offensively against Meralco, dropping 19 first-half points en route to his highest-scoring game of the tournament. He was equally impressive in other areas, posting game highs in assists and steals while also matching his conference best in rebounds.
Jordon Varnado MER PF 36 PTS | 7 REB | 2 BLK | 57.4 FPS
The Meralco import continues to produce offensively, posting his third straight 30-point outing. While he was less efficient this time, shooting just 11-for-30 from the field and 8-for-11 from the line, he was able to make up for it from the four-point area, knocking down 3-of-6. Three-point shooting remains a problem, however, hitting just 2-of-12 this conference.
Juan Gerardo Gomez De Liaño CON PG 13 PTS | 11 REB | 12 AST | 46.2 FPS
This was another standout game for the #2 overall pick. He was sharp from two-point range, hitting 5-for-7 attempts, and also filled out the stat sheet to record his second straight triple-double, becoming the first rookie in PBA history to achieve the feat.
Frederick Tungcab CON SF 15 PTS | 7 AST | 5 STL | 46.1 FPS
Tungcab has been a productive part of the Converge’s rotation this conference. Today, he took his game to another level, putting up a dominant two-way performance while only committing just a single turnover.
Cameron Clark CON PF 32 PTS | 3 REB | 3 AST | 42.1 FPS
The replacement import continues to deliver for Converge, leading the team to its fourth straight win. He was unstoppable offensively, pouring in 18 points in the opening quarter alone, nearly matching Macau’s total scoring output. He stayed sharp throughout, shooting 13-of-14 from the field to record his third 30-point performance in just three quarters.
Marcellus St. Clair Earlington PHX SF 20 PTS | 14 REB | 5 AST | 39.3 FPS
Despite some struggles, the new Phoenix import still powered through in his debut. Though he had a tough time in the first half scoring just six points, he delivered when it mattered most, scoring 14 big points in the final quarter to lead Phoenix to the win.
Justine Baltazar CON PF 14 PTS | 12 REB | 6 AST | 37.4 FPS
In just 20 minutes, Baltazar came up big, recording his sixth double-double with his best playmaking game of the conference. He’s even more impressive on offense, posting his tenth consecutive double-digit scoring game of the tournament.
Kenneth James Tuffin PHX SF 16 PTS | 10 REB | 1 STL | 34.0 FPS
Tuffin made a significant impact in Phoenix’s win over Meralco. Though he was quiet in the first half, he turned things around in the third quarter, scoring 11 points to help Phoenix get back into the game. He finished with his second-highest scoring output alongside his best rebounding game of the conference.
Justin Arana CON C 16 PTS | 10 REB | 4 AST | 33.0 FPS
Though he dealt with some injuries this conference, the Converge center continues to get the job done, registering his fifth double-double. He has also scored 15+ points for the fifth time in his last six games.
Kainos Bryson Ballungay PHX C 17 PTS | 4 REB | 1 BLK | 28.3 FPS
The sophomore big man came up huge against Meralco. Offensively, he was effective, scoring from all levels, hitting a conference-high, and recording 10+ points in each of his last three games.
Crispin John Cansino MER SF 18 PTS | 5 REB | 23.0 FPS
Cansino gave his team a strong offensive spark off the bench. He got going early, recording 14 first half points and matched his best scoring game of the conference.
Gian Robert Mamuyac PHX PG 13 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 22.6 FPS
This was his third double-digit scoring performance with Phoenix. In the previous conference with Rain or Shine, he reached that mark 13 times in 18 games.
Michael Kurtiz Williams CON SG 3 PTS | 6 REB | 4 AST | 16.2 FPS
This was another subpar performance for the former MVP. While he was productive in the secondary categories, posting a conference-best in rebounds. He was again off on the scoring end, finishing with fewer than five points for the fourth time in his last five games.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Christopher Elijah Newsome MER SG 7 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST | 20.0 FPS
Unlike his recent outings, Newsome struggled to make an impact offensively today. After averaging 18.8 points over his last four games, he failed to find his rhythm, shooting just 2-for-8 from the field and scoring fewer than 10 points for the fourth time this conference.
