The Converge FiberXers on Friday scored their second win in a row after four straight losses with a nail-biting 112-110 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. With the win, Converge hiked its PBA Governors’ Cup record to 5-4, which is good enough for third place in Group A. NLEX, which played without the injured DeQuan Jones, dropped to 7-2 in a tie with the San Miguel Beermen.
What Happened?
NLEX came out inspired, with nine different players contributing to a 30-22 first quarter. Converge, though, would return the favor in the second canto, as Cameron Clark fired 13 big points and Juan Gomez de Liaño added 6 in a 29-21 turnaround. At the half, the two teams were tied at 51 apiece.
It was NLEX’s turn again in the third quarter, outscoring Converge, 28-23, behind 6 points from Schonny Winston and 5 from Ljay Gonzales. Then, like in the first half, the FiberXers answered in the fourth to set up a thrilling finish that featured five deadlocks and four lead changes.
Two of those lead changes happened in the last three minutes on an exchange of fours—the first one on a Robert Bolick four-pointer that gave the Road Warriors a 99-97 lead and the second on a JGDL four that gave the FiberXers back the lead, 101-99. That would be the last time the lead changed as Converge did just enough to fend off NLEX’s final Bolick-led fightback.
Who Stood Out?
In just his second game for Converge, Clark proved he might be the perfect fit, dropping a game-high 37 points on top of 12 rebounds and 3 blocks. Gomez de Liaño added 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists while also hitting that crucial four down the stretch. Justin Arana, meanwhile, continued his superb play in this conference with 19 points and 9 rebounds.
NLEX, on the other hand, relied on Ljay Gonzales, who fired a team-high 23 markers, and Bolick, who had 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists, and looked primed for more heroics in the endgame. Schonny Winston chipped in 17 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals.
3 Keys to the Game
- Starters. Converge’s starting five showed out, with Clark, JGDL, and Arana alone outscoring NLEX’s starters, 75 to 55. In all, the FiberXers’ starting five had 81 points, with Clark, Gomez de Liaño, and Arana making big baskets in the fourth.
- Free throws. The FiberXers attempted 21 free throws to the Road Warriors’ 14 and made 18. NLEX, in contrast, made 10. That’s an eight-point difference in a two-point win for Converge.
- Poise. NLEX looked poised to take control of the game after Bolick’s four-pointer gave the Road Warriors a 99-97 lead with under three minutes remaining. But the FiberXers kept their poise, with JGDL answering with a four of his own, Clark hitting a big middy, and Arana converting a crucial and-1.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, October 7, 2026 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium
NLEX Road Warriors vs. Macau Giant Pandas (5:15 p.m.)
TNT Tropang 5G vs. Terrafirma Dyip (7:30 p.m.)
