CHICAGO -- Converge isn't out of the woods yet, but through the dense foliage of this Governors' Cup elimination rounds, the FiberXers can see the glimmer of a playoff berth.
With 0-8 Terrafirma dead as a door knob, 5-4 Converge is embroiled in a three-team logjam alongside 4-4 Magnolia and 3-5 NorthPort for the last two quarterfinals tickets in Pool B action.
After a roller-coaster ride that included a hip injury to the prolific Scotty Hopson, who twice carried Converge to victories via a buzzer-beating 4-pointer, there's a sigh of relief.
"The good thing is we have control of our destiny," Converge deputy coach Charles Tiu told me via text message after his team's 105-97 victory over Meralco Wednesday night
"We just need to win and pray that NorthPort loses at least one of their two remaining games."
SIMPLE MATH.
That pleading for divine intervention could be answered Friday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. A Hotshots win eliminates NorthPort outright and sends both Magnolia and Converge to the big dance.
It could have been more precarious had Converge not handled the mighty Bolts on Wednesday.
Despite dealing with issues relative to flying into Manila on short notice and immediately needing to adapt to new sets of circumstances, replacement import Jalen Jones carded 32 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals.
"Jalen was good for us. He didn't have his legs yet and was cramping the whole second half, but he powered through. And he's still a little jet-lagged," Tiu said of the former NBAer's courageous effort.
Getting Jones, who last played for Spartans Distrito Capital of the Venezuelan league, this late in the conference was a different struggle Converge had to navigate. But in collaboration with team manager Jacob Lao, the FiberXers thread the needle.
STILL, NEUTRALIZING 6-3 MERALCO'S POWER REQUIRED MORE THAN JUST JONES' HEAVY-LIFTING.
Justine Arana finished with 12 points and six boards. Schonny Winston and King Caralipio combined for 16 points to help the FiberXers overcome a poor shooting night where they made only 42.5 percent from the field (37-of-87) and 27.6 percent from three (8-of-29).
In a tight brawl that stood at 79-77 after three quarters, Alec Stockton was the key. The Fil-Am played like John Stockton and peppered Meralco with 27 points including a dozen in the payoff period.
Stockton also had 11 rebounds and five dimes in 34 minutes and 18 seconds of balling.
"Tomorrow's another day," said Tiu, whose hectic Wednesday included coaching the College of St. Benilde to a 78-51 mauling of the University of Perpetual Help.
Thankfully for Tiu and Converge, Thursday is a victorious, glorious day to wake up to.
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