CONVERGE may have limped home in its PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign, but Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao sees the FiberXers as a very competitive unit in the season-ending Philippine Cup.
Youth is definitely on the side of Converge, which Guiao believes would be a plus factor for the team in the all-Filipino conference.
Guiao cites Converge's young players
“Actually pagdating ng all-Filipino, tingin ko maganda ang ipapakita nitong Converge. Marami silang bata, although kami (Elasto Painters) marami ring kami mga bata,” he said.
The veteran coach made the assessment after Converge gave Rain or Shine a big scare going home before prevailing, 112-111, in the final game of both teams in the eliminations on Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
The Elasto Painters lost a seven-point lead entering the final two minutes and had to watch the FiberXers missed a potential game-winning basket at the buzzer before heaving a sigh of relief.
“Alam namin malakas ito (Converge),” said Guiao. “Ang ganda ng nilalaro ng rookies nila. Kanina halos hindi nagmintis sa tres yung (Bryan) Santos.”
Santos sparkles for Converge
Santos, the 6-foot-5 stretch forward from University of Santo Tomas and picked in the second round (no. 14 overall), had his best game in the pro with 18 points and lighted up the scoring for Converge by going 5-of-7 from three-point range.
Rain or Shine booked a sixth straight win and will go to the playoffs as the seventh seeded team.
Converge meanwhile, finished with a 1-10 record in a tie with Blackwater, but finished dead-last in the standings after losing its head-to-head encounter with the Bossing, 103-84.
Still, Guiao is convinced a different FiberXers will be showing up in the next conference.
“Masipag sila. Masipag silang tumakbo, masipag silang dumipensa,” he said. “Kaya hindi naming tinake for granted itong game na ito. Ginusto talaga naming manalo, pero gusto kong balansehin yung desire to win at magkaroon ng feel or magkaroon ng kumpiyansa yung players namin going to the quarterfinals.”
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