ALEC Stockton, Bryan Santos, and Schonny Winston rescued Converge from a crushing defeat with a big run in the final minutes against NorthPort, 107-99, on Wednesday in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The FiberXers trio came through in a big 18-3 finishing kick to give Converge back the lead after it blew a spread that reached 16 points. The team ended a three-game slump and tied the Batang Pier at fourth place in Group A on a 3-4 win-loss record.
Stockton had 21 points including a three-point play with 1:07 left to bring Converge up, 101-99. Before that, Santos, who finished with 15 points, kept the FiberXers in the game by draining back-to-back threes to cut the lead to one.
Winston scored 17 points and grabbed nine rebounds. He went coast to coast for a pull-up jumper with 46.6 seconds to play to give the FiberXers a four-point lead.
“We were able to get a grind-out win. That’s the biggest testament na hindi kami nag-give up. But we have to do better on some things,” said Converge coach Franco Atienza.
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It was a deflating loss for NorthPort, which mounted the rally to lead by as many as eight, 92-84, only to squander it in the end.
A skirmish between Converge assistant coach Danny Ildefonso and NorthPort team governor Erick Arejola later ensued after the final buzzer before the two were separated by their respective teams.
Venky Jois had 24 points and 14 rebounds but shot 12-of-27 from the free throw line, some off a hack-a-Jois tactic employed by Coverge. Arvin Tolentino added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Batang Pier.
The scores:
Converge 107 – Stockton 21, Winston 17, Santos 15, Hopson 12, Racal 10, Delos Santos 9, Ambohot 6, Nieto 6, Cabagnot 5, Arana 4, Andrade 2, Vigan-Fleming 0, Fornilos 0, Caralipio 0, Zaldivar 0.
NorthPort 99 – Jois 24, Tolentino 21, Munzon 13, Navarro 11, Jalalon 9, Nelle 7, Cuntapay 5, Amores 4, Tratter 3, Flores 2, Yu 0, Bulanadi 0, Onwubere 0.
Quarters: 29-26; 55-43; 71-71; 107-99.
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