CONVERGE took an extra period to complete a comeback win over NLEX, 107-95, and stay on track of a Top 4 finish heading to the quarterfinals of the PBA Philippine Cup.
The FiberXers scored eight straight points in overtime to finally take control of a game where they once trailed by 11.
The Road Warriors forced overtime period with a clutch four-point shot by big man Jonnel Policarpio at the buzzer and end regulation play at 90-all.
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Sophomore big man Justin Baltazar had a monster game of 25 points and 24 rebounds in the win that arrested Converge’s two-game skid. It finished the eliminations with a 7-4 record for a possible shot at earning a twice-to-beat edge in the playoffs.
Both are career-highs for the Season 49’s top rookie pick.
“Ang tagal, first quarter to fourth quarter, yung kumpiyansa ng mga bata not unlike nung mga past games. Kaya pinilit naming buhayin yung kumpiyansa nila, umabot pa ng overtime,” said winning coach Delta Pineda of his team’s flat start.
Rookie Juan Gomez De Liano also came through for the FiberXers with the second triple double of his PBA career, finishing with 20 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, while a hobbling Justin Arana – still not fully recovered from an ankle sprain – had 19 points including nine in the overtime period.
The FiberXers trailed for most of the night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium and didn’t take the lead until an 8-0 run instigated by De Liano and MJ Garcia put them on top, 85-82.
The Road Warriors tied the game at 85-all before Baltazar completed a three-point play off a foul by Brandon Ramirez to give Converge a three-point lead.
A split by Aleck Stockton from the foul line with three seconds left stretched the lead to four, before a rushing Policarpio banked in a long four-point shot as time expired to force the overtime play.
Kevin Alas paced NLEX with 19 points, Xyrus Torres with 16, Matt Nieto added 12 and JB Bahio and Policarpio with 11 each.
The loss was the third straight for the Road Warriors - two without star Robert Bolick who is playing for Gilas Pilipinas at the Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok - for a 6-5 record that kept them out of contention for the Top 4.
The scores
Converge (107) – Baltazar 25, Gomez De Liano 20, Arana 19, Muyang 12, Concepcion 11, Garcia 6, Stockton 5, Manuel 5, Winston 4, Racal 0, Caralipio 0, Eguilos 0, Clemente 0, De Los Santos 0.
NLEX (95) – Alas 19, Torres 16, Nieto 12, Bahio 11, Policarpio 11, Ramirez 10, Onwubere 7, Mocon 4, Rodger 3, Fajardo 2, Amer 0, Herndon 0.
Quarterscores: 18-17; 35-41; 62-67; 90-all (reg); 107-95.
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