CONVERGE stayed on track for a possible Top 2 finish, while NLEX remained in the running for a quarterfinals berth following Sunday's PBA Commissioner's Cup games in Antipolo.
The FiberXers whipped Blackwater Bossing, 127-109, for back-to-back wins, raised their record to 8-3, and grabbed solo second in the tight race for the two twice-to-beat berths.
READ: Justin Arana injury a dampener as Converge closes in on Top Two
The victory though came at a high price as top big man Justin Arana went down with a hyperextended left knee.
Meanwhile, the Road Warriors prevailed over the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 108-94, to put a stop to their five-game skid.
More importantly, they rose in the standings at 4-6 and tied the Magnolia Hotshots at ninth place in another tight finish for the eighth and final spot in the playoffs.
Losses by Phoenix (3-7) and Blackwater (2-8) badly hurt their respective chances of advancing in the next round, though mathematically, both teams still have slim shots of clinching a quarterfinals berth.
READ: NLEX rips Phoenix to snap out of five-game slump, revive playoff hopes
Here are some of the takeaways in the Ynares Center games heading to the final two weeks of the eliminations.
1.YNARES VENUE CLAIMS ANOTHER INJURY
The 25-year-old Arana became the latest player to go down with an injury at Ynares which hopefully, is not as serious as others suffered before him. Kevin Alas sustained not just one but three ACL injuries in the venue, so did Isaac Go, while Ed Daquiaog had a closed fibula fracture.
Similarly, the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig had its share of injured players in Jeremiah Gray twice (ACL during PBA 3x3 and another one during the PBA On Tour) and Kevin Ferrer (ACL).
2.MAKE THAT MONSTER INC. FOR CONVERGE
Coach Chot Reyes referred to Alec Stockton, Jordan Heading, and Schonny Winston as the ‘three-headed monster’ of the FiberXers. Actually, a fourth one just joined the fray in top rookie pick Justine Baltazar.
In what was his best game so far in the PBA, the two-time MPBL MVP delivered a conference-high 20 points and 10 rebounds in the team’s 127-109 blowout of Blackwater.
Baltazar’s other co-monsters were just as deadly. Heading had a team-high 22 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the three-point and four-point lines combined while adding five assists, Stockton had 19 on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and seven assists, while Winston finished with 10 and four assists.
Two other actually also contributed in double figures for Converge in import Cheick Diallo (20) and JL Delos Santos (10).
3.RACE FOR LAST PLAYOFFS BERTH JUST AS TIGHT
The logjam in the standings of the mid-season conference is not just tight at the top, but also at the bottom. At least three teams in defending champion San Miguel, Magnolia, and NLEX are all in strong contention for the last quarterfinals slot.
The Beermen occupy the no. 8 placing with a 4-5 slate, but are just half a game ahead of both the Hotshots and Road Warriors, both carrying identical 4-6 records. Phoenix (3-7) and Blackwater (2-8) are still not yet out of the fight, but in medical terms, both teams are currently inside the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) following costly losses on Sunday.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
