CONVERGE maintained its unbeaten slate after surviving a late Magnolia Chicken Timplados fightback, 111-109, on Sunday in the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The FiberXers led for much of the match but didn't put their third win in as many outings in the bag until Hotshots import Eric McCree missed a three-point attempts in the last possession.
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Jamaal Franklin scored 26 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, while Maverick Ahanmisi and Alec Stockton also played key roles in the victory that enabled the FiberXers to take the solo leadership in the season-ending conference.
Converge coach Aldin Ayo said it was tough to scout Magnolia since it was their first game of the conference.
“Kung ano ‘yung ginagawa naming regular, ‘yun lang ginawa namin. Nothing specific kasi wala kaming basehan kung anong gagawin namin sa kanila,” said Ayo.
Ahanmisi came away with 22 points and Stockton added a career-high 18 points, 12 in the second half that helped Converge take a 99-85 lead - the largest of the game.
Converge still led 106-95, but Magnolia came alive as Stockton spent the final minutes of the game on the bench after being slapped with a flagrant foul penalty one for a landing spot foul on a four-point play by McCree that cut the FiberXers’ lead to four, 106-102.
The Hotshots threatened again at 111-109 and it all came down to the final play where McCree, a key figure in the comeback, missed the last shot of the match just before the buzzer.
McCree led the way for the Hotshots with 38 points and 16 rebounds, while Paul Lee added 21 points.
The scores:
Converge 111 – Franklin 26, Ahanmisi 22, Stockton 18, Melecio 14, Teng 11, Arana 8, Balanza 6, Tratter 4, Ambohot 2, Racal 0, Murrell 0.
Magnolia 109 – McCree 38, Lee 21, Jalalon 13, Abueva 12, Escoto 7, Ahanmisi 5, Wong 4, Dela Rosa 3, Sangalang 2, Barroca 2, Dionisio 2, Corpuz 0.
Quarters: 28-23; 50-47; 84-73; 111-109.