 |
| Alec Stockton displayed another brilliant all-around game. PBA Images |
BATANGAS CITY—Converge banked a huge second-half run to overcome Ginebra's grit for a 98-91 win in their PBA Commissioner's Cup game on Saturday night at the Batangas City Sports Coliseum.
Down by 17, 40-57, at the half and trailing, 60-70, just past midway of the third quarter, the FiberXers uncorked a 20-0 run spanning through the early stages of the fourth quarter to take an 80-70 lead with 10:29 left.
They would extend their lead a bit to 11, 89-78, midway through the fourth quarter, but the Gin Kings went on a 10-2 run that cut the lead down to three, 91-88, with 3:18 to go.
However, a huge three-point play from Cheick Diallo upped Converge's lead back to seven, 95-88, with 1:54 to go.
Maverick Ahanmisi kept Ginebra in the game with a three-point play that cut the lead down to four, 95-91, with 1:43 left, but Converge kept them scoreless in the end even as Justin Arana converted a reverse layup with 44.4 seconds to go to essentially ice the game.
"It's nice na hindi nag-give up. It's a total team effort. The team played well," head coach Franco Atienza told Dugout Philippines after the win.
Alec Stockton led the FiberXers, now on a three-game winning streak to move up to a tie with Eastern Long Lions for fourth place at 5-2, with 22 points, six rebounds, eight assists, and one steal.
Diallo added 19 points, 18 rebounds, and four assists.
After erupting for 49 points on Wednesday night, Justin Brownlee put up 39 points, with 10 rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two blocks for the Gin Kings, who fell to 3-2.
Follow him on X: @IvanSaldajeno
.jpg)
