NLEX spoils Jamaal Franklin's 53-point blast, stuns Converge

Wayne Selden's two-way game outplayed Jamaal Franklin's 53-point blast. Dennis Acosta
By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY—NLEX survived a 53-point storm from Jamaal Franklin and took down Converge, 116-112, in their PBA Governors' Cup game on Saturday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Road Warriors closed the game strong as the FiberXers relied too much on Franklin in the end.

Down 105-109 with 3:29 remaining, NLEX launched an 8-0 run behind the heroics of Kevin Alas and Anthony Semerad to take the lead, 113-109 with 38 seconds left.

Franklin kept Converge in the game with a three-pointer with 22.8 seconds left, but he fouled Alas just as he was about to be double-teamed by Jeron Teng and Kevin Racal.

Alas made two free throws with 19 seconds left to up the lead back to three, 115-112.

Franklin decided to take matters into his own hands again, but he missed the potential game-tying three, and Wayne Selden split his free throws to ice the game.

Selden came just close to a rare 5x5 with 35 points, seven rebounds, six assists, eight steals, and three blocks for the Road Warriors, who tied their victims at 5-2 as he finally won a PBA game after three tries.

Alas added 31 points, 18 in the fourth quarter, one assist, and two steals off the bench.

Franklin went 12-for-30 from the field including 9-for-24 from beyond the arc for his 53 points alongside 11 rebounds, four assists, five steals, and one block, but he too committed 12 of the FiberXers' 31 total turnovers.

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