The PBA held its final double-header of 2024 on Christmas day, and it delivered—especially the nightcap. Here is the recap:
Converge Rips Meralco in Wire-to-Wire Triumph
Justin Baltazar scattered a career-high 16 points to help lead the Converge FiberXers to a 110-94 rout of the Meralco Bolts for their fourth straight victory.
The FiberXers were in complete control, scoring the first basket of the game and never letting Meralco get anything going in a wire-to-wire triumph. Jordan Heading led the way for Converge, scoring a career-high-tying 30 points on top of 6 rebounds and 8 assists. Import Cheick Diallo had 24 points, 19 boards, and 2 blocks.
Akil Mitchell, who returned after suffering a broken nose in Meralco’s third game of the tourney, had 29 points and 18 rebounds. Bong Quinto added 23.
Up next:
Meralco vs. Hong Kong Eastern on January 5 (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
Converge vs. TNT Tropang Giga on January 11 (Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
The Scores:
- Converge 110 – Heading 30, Diallo 24, Baltazar 16, Winston 11, Stockton 10, Arana 7, Andrade 5, Racal 3, Delos Santos 2, Santos 2
- Meralco 94 – Mitchell 29, Quinto 23, Hodge 10, Newsome 9, Banchero 6, Maliksi 5, Reyson 3, Pascual 3, Black 2, Rios 2, Caram 2
Ginebra Stuns Magnolia with Christmas-Day Miracle
Scottie Thompson hit the game-winning triple to complete Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Christmas-day comeback from 22 points down and stun the Magnolia Hotshots, 95-92, in the PBA’s final game of 2024.
Magnolia controlled much of the game, roaring out to a 55-41 first-half advantage behind a smothering defense and the steady play of Ricardo Ratliffe, Mark Barroca, and Zavier Lucero. The Hotshots extended their lead midway through the third, building as much as a 76-54 lead. But Ginebra started chipping away, ultimately regaining the lead at 92-90 after Justin Brownlee fired his fifth and last triple.
Then, with the game tied at 92 with 22 ticks left, Ginebra set up one final play for the win—and the ball made its way to Scottie Thompson wide open at the corner for the game-winning buzzer-beater.
Brownlee finished with 28 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists, while Thompson had 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 dimes. RJ Abarrientos added 20, including 17 in Ginebra’s second-half fight back. Ricardo Ratliffe paced Magnolia with 17 points and 16 rebounds, while Mark Barroca scattered 13 points and 7 boards. Paul Lee and Ian Sangalang chipped in 11 apiece.
Up next:
Ginebra vs. San Miguel Beermen on January 5 (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
Magnolia vs. Terrafirma Dyip on January 10 (Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
The Scores:
- Barangay Ginebra (95) – Brownlee 28, Abarrientos 20, Rosario 15, Thompson 14, J. Aguilar 8, Holt 5, Ahanmisi 5
- Magnolia (92) – Ratliffe 17, Barroca 13, Lee 11, Sangalang 11, Lucero 8, Balanza 8, Dela Rosa 7, Dionisio 6, Lastimosa 6, Abueva 5
PBA Commissioner’s Cup Takes a Break
The PBA Commissioner’s Cup will take a Christmastime break for 10 days before resuming action on January 5, 2025. Meralco will take on Hong Kong Eastern to start off next year, while Ginebra faces San Miguel. The league’s first double-header in 2025 will be held at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
