PBA: NorthPort climbs back from 18 down to zap error-prone Converge in OT thriller

Arvin Tolentino came just close to a triple-double as NorthPort fought back from 18 down to beat Converge. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—NorthPort crawled back from a huge hole to beat Converge in overtime, 112-104, for its first win in the PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Down by as much as 18 midway through the third quarter, the Batang Pier reversed the huge deficit come the fourth quarter and overtime.

NorthPort even held a 95-91 lead with 2:01 left in the fourth, but Arvin Tolentino could not finish Converge off in regulation after just making 1-of-2 from the foul line with his team up two with 15 seconds left, opening a chance for Alec Stockton to force overtime with a game-tying three.

However, it was all Batang Pier in the extension as Tolentino's teammates stepped up to finally take down the FiberXers.

Tolentino flirted with a triple-double after tallying 31 points, a career-high 11 assists, and eight rebounds with two steals and one block as NorthPort finally closed it out two nights after losing steam in another OT thriller against NLEX.

Joshua Munzon added 17 points, six rebounds, one assist, two steals, and a career-high six steals.

William Navarro chipped in 16 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal, while Cade Flores put up 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting, 14 rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

Stockton finished with a career-high 27 points on 8-for-12 field goals along with three rebounds and two assists, while Justin Arana matched his own career-high with 25 points on 10-for-16 field goals along with 13 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks for Converge.

However, both players combined for 13 of the team's all-time worst 31 turnovers, the most by a club since Blackwater also committed 31 errors against TNT in last season's Commissioner's Cup.

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