Here are the players who made the biggest impact on April 26 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Justin Brownlee GIN SF 35 PTS | 9 REB | 2 BLK | 55.8 FPS
It wasn’t a flawless performance, but Brownlee still got the job done. He continues to lead the charge offensively, finishing with a game-high in points while also recording his sixth 30-point performance of the tournament. Beyond that, he was just as impactful, making contributions all over the stat sheet.
Joshua Eugene Munzon TGR PG 20 PTS | 10 AST | 5 STL | 55.2 FPS
This is by far one of his better performances in the tournament. While he couldn’t find his range from deep, shooting just 1-for-7, he remained effective and finished with a team-high in points. On the other hand, his assists and steals were the most in the game.
Donovan Smith CON C 32 PTS | 12 REB | 3 BLK | 54.4 FPS
The import marked his return to the league with a huge double-double output against his former team. He was a problem inside the paint, finishing as the game’s leading scorer and second leading rebounder. Smith was exceptional with Phoenix last year, and the team will surely need that version of him to push for a playoff spot. If today’s game is any indication, Converge may have found its difference-maker.
Earl Scottie Thompson GIN PG 12 PTS | 9 REB | 9 AST | 44.3 FPS
Since scoring just three points in their loss to San Miguel, the former MVP has really elevated his play, producing at a high level in each of his past four games. That continued today as he put together a near triple-double performance on strong percentages while committing just a single turnover.
Ricci Paolo Rivero PHX SF 26 PTS | 6 REB | 1 BLK | 41.2 FPS
The wing broke through in the scoring column today, shooting 7-for-12 from two and 9-for-13 at the line to finish second among all scorers in the game. With his caliber, it would be unsurprising to see more of these scoring performances going forward.
Justine Baltazar CON PF 15 PTS | 14 REB | 1 AST | 31.3 FPS
There was a noticeable decline in his production over their past four games. But he was finally back to his usual standard today, finishing third on the team in scoring while also leading all players in rebounds for his fourth double-double of the tournament.
Kenneth James Tuffin PHX SF 15 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 28.5 FPS
The forward went cold in their win against Rain or Shine, finishing with a conference-worst performance. But he got his groove back today, converting 4-of-8 from the three-point area to finish third in the team in scoring. Through nine games, he’s been reliable offensively, averaging 13.0 points on 51.6% shooting from two and 40.6% shooting from three.
Jason Perkins PHX PF 17 PTS | 5 REB | 2 AST | 25.0 FPS
Over his last five outings, Perkins has averaged 19.4 points and 5.0 rebounds. While he’s been playing at a high level offensively, his impact on the other end has been the complete opposite.
Alec June Stockton CON SG 16 PTS | 3 REB | 1 BLK | 24.6 FPS
Overall, this performance was below his usual standards. Still, he was effective on the scoring end, converting 5-of-8 on two-point attempts and recording his seventh 15-point outing in the conference.
John Bryan Sajonia TGR PG 17 PTS | 2 3PM | 2 REB | 19.4 FPS
The rookie stepped up on offense, contributing in all scoring columns except from the four-point range. While he hasn’t made much of an impact in the conference, he’s still shown his scoring upside with his performance today and most notably in their game against Meralco where he recorded a career-high 29 points.
Francis Gabriel Escandor PHX SF 9 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 18.3 FPS
Escandor has quickly emerged as a key part of the Fuel Masters’ rotation in this conference. While he hasn’t had many standout performances, he continues to make his presence felt in multiple areas.
Evan Heinrich Nikolai Nelle PHX PG 5 PTS | 7 AST | 1 STL | 17.5 FPS
Offensively, Nelle has been highly inconsistent, swinging between double-digit scoring and subpar performances. He is doing better as a playmaker, however, posting 7.5 assists per game in his last two after averaging just 3.0 assists over a recent four-game stretch.
Michael Jeffrey Garcia CON PG 4 PTS | 3 REB | 5 AST | 15.1 FPS
In a six-game stretch last month, Garcia has been impactful, averaging close to 10 points while also making contributions in multiple areas. Though he couldn’t sustain that momentum offensively, he made up for it today, matching his conference-high in assists.
Calvin Abueva CON PF 9 PTS | 4-5 FG | 4 REB | 13.8 FPS
This type of performance from the veteran forward is great to see. He was effective from the interior, grabbing two offensive rebounds while also hitting 3-of-4 attempts. While he didn’t contribute much beyond that, his production has been a major positive nonetheless.
Aristotle Dionisio TGR PF 9 PTS | 2 REB | 1 STL | 13.4 FPS
Dionisio has been a steady part of the Titans’ rotation this conference. While he hasn’t had many big games, his impact on both sides of the court remains clear.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Michael Kurtiz Williams CON SG 5 PTS | 4 REB | 3 AST | 12.3 FPS
This was the third time in his last four outings that he scored under double digits. He really struggled from deep today, missing all five of his attempts. Despite the inconsistency, Williams continues to be one of their top contributors, averaging 8.4 points and 5.1 assists.
