ANTIPOLO – Juan Gomez De Liano and Converge warmed up for their all-important game against TNT by setting a number of franchise and PBA records in their 162-108 thrashing of guest team Macau on Friday night in the Governors Cup.
The FiberXers posted the highest total output (162), the most number of assists (53), and biggest winning margin (54) in its franchise history in the coast-to-coast win against the badly-outclassed and undermanned Giant Pandas.
And Gomez De Liano? He had a second straight triple-double with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists for his fifth TD this season – the most by any local players since the legendary Ramon Fernandez had 25 during the 1984 season.
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The lopsided win was a fitting prelude for the FiberXers showdown with the defending champions Tropang 5G on Sunday where the No. 3 seed in Group A will be at stake. Converge and TNT are tied on 7-4 records.
As per PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, the 162 points by the FiberXers eclipsed the team’s previous high of 152 points in a win over Titan just last week while the output was also the most by a team in a game since Tony Harris scored 98 points in a 179-161 Swift win over Presto in the 1992 Third Conference.
Their 53 assists also now ranks No. 2 all-time since Ginebra dished off 60 in the highest scoring game in PBA history over Great Taste, 197-168, in the 1985 Third Conference.
The winning margin also surpassed Converge’s previous high of 37 against Titan Ultra (129-92) during its debut game in the Season 50 Philippine Cup.
Meanwhile, the five tirple doubles of De Liano, the No. 2 overall pick in the last rookie draft, was the most ever by a freshman in a season.
It was also the most number of triple-double since Ginebra import Justin Brownlee also had five three seasons ago.
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