CONVERGE came back from the depths of an 17-point deficit to stun Barangay Ginebra, 98-91, before a jampacked crowd in a PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup game at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum on Saturday night.
The FiberXers fell behind, 55-38, late in the second period, but were already on top, 73-70 entering the fourth behind the efforts of Alec Stockton, Justin Arana, and import Cheick Diallo.
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The win extended the team’s streak to three games for a 5-2 mark in easily one of the best starts in franchise history.
Meanwhile, the Kings fell to 3-2 as they lost for the second time in three outings.
Here are the takeaways in the first provincial outing in the mid-season conference:
1. STOCKTON STILL THE MAN FOR CONVERGE – the explosive Fil-Am guard continues to validate his status as the FiberXers main man as he led the team’s third-quarter assault against the Kings that turned the game around. He exploded for 17 out of Converge’s 33 points in the third quarter and went to finish with a team-high 22 points to go along with six rebounds and eight assists. With top rookie pick Justine Baltazar yet to come out of his shell, Stockton remains the catalyst of the FiberXers’ success.
2. FIBERXERS THORN ON THE SIDE OF SMC TEAMS? – for the second straight time this conference, the FiberXers won against a team under the SMC umbrella. And they did it in come-from-behind fashion again. Against the Magnolia Hotshots last Dec. 1 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, Converge rallied from a 20-point deficit to eke out a 93-91 win. And in Batangas City four days before Christmas, the FiberXers did it again opposite a team known for doing the same thing against their opponents. Stockton and Co. are scheduled to meet defending champion San Miguel on Jan. 24 yet at the Ynares Center. Will the Beermen suffer the same fate as the Kings and Hotshots?
3. KINGS MISS INJURED BIG MEN – the frontline roster of Barangay Ginebra leaves much to be desired as it was outrebounded by Converge, 57-36, including a 39-23 disparity on defensive rebounds. Only Justine Brownlee managed to finish in double digits in rebounding with 10, with high-leaping guard Scottie Thompson the next best in the department with seven, even beating out Troy Rosario who only had four. The absence of the injured Japeth Aguilar, Jamie Malonzo, and Isaac Go are taking their toll on the Kings especially against a team that has length and size like Converge.
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