The wait is over for the Converge FiberXers. For the first time in franchise history, the FiberXers will be going to the semis after dispatching the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 120-109, on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. With the win, Converge becomes the third team to make it to the semifinals of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
What Happened?
As it has done for much of this series, Converge got off to another stellar start with Cameron Clark, Justin Arana, and Calvin Abueva all contributing to a 39-27 first quarter. Rain or Shine, as it has done many times in these quarterfinals, came roaring back in the second canto with Mike Malonzo, Felix Lemetti, and Aaron Fuller leading a 33-23 turnaround to enter halftime down by just two, 62-60.
With one team looking to make history and the other fighting for survival, the third quarter became a battle, with neither team giving an inch. Clark and Arana continued to lead Converge, while Lemetti and Jhonard Clarito carried the load for Rain or Shine. But after three, the FiberXers stayed ahead, 89-87, on a Clark jumper to end the period. A furious exchange of baskets marked the first six minutes of the final frame before the FiberXers created some separation with six unanswered points. That mini-run turned a slim 103-102 lead into a 109-102 advantage at the 5:04 mark, only for the Elasto Painters to inch to within 109-107 a couple of minutes later.
Then, Mikey Williams happened. Struggling for much of this conference, the former two-time Finals MVP delivered when it mattered most, firing back-to-back triples—the first off a kickout from Clark, the second in transition—that put the game out of reach, 115-107, with 2:42 remaining.
Who Stood Out?
Williams’ back-to-back triples down the stretch punctuated a 17-point, 7-rebound effort off the bench in arguably his best game of the PBA Governors’ Cup. Clark, meanwhile, delivered a game-high 32 points on top of 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals, even as Justin Arana chipped in 16 off the bench on 7-for-8 shooting. Converge also drew solid contributions from Juan Gomez de Liaño (13 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists), Alec Stockton (14 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists), and Calvin Abueva (11 points, 4 rebounds).
On the other side, Fuller bounced back from a paltry 4-point effort in Rain or Shine’s Game 3 loss with 23 points and 10 rebounds, although only 6 points came after intermission. Clarito powered his way to 18 points, most of them coming in the third, while Malonzo and Lemetti chipped in 13 apiece.
3 Keys to the Game
- Composure. Several times in Game 4, the FiberXers appeared ready to unravel, especially after Abueva got ejected for consecutive flopping violations. But each time, Converge regrouped and only got better, culminating in its fiery fourth-quarter finish.
- Points Off Turnovers. Both Converge and Rain or Shine turned the ball over many times, with the former committing 21 miscues and the latter coughing it up 22 times. However, the FiberXers punished the Elasto Painters more for their errors, converting them into 28 points compared to 20 for the other side.
- Offensive Rebounding. Converge’s size and fight translated into the FiberXers winning the rebounding battle, 58-42. They also won the offensive glass, 18-7, leading to a 20-7 advantage in second-chance points.
Next Up for the PBA: Quarterfinals
Tuesday, November 10, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. San Miguel Beermen (7:30 p.m.)
