Alec Stockton came alive and brought Converge back from the dead to hack out the 114-112 overtime win over TNT and clinch the third spot in Group A of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup, Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The two-way specialist finished with 19 points, none more important than the five straight to tie the game up at 106-all with only four-tenths of the second remaining in regulation — which forced five more minutes of play.
He also nailed the eventual game-winning bucket, a tough acrobatic shot to break the 112-all deadlock with 11.3 seconds left in the game.
Coach Delta Pineda’s boys then buckled down on defense in the final possession. They ganged up on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to prevent the Tropang 5G from tying the game up, and completed the rally from as much as 15 down.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
“We just wanted to have the mentality of not giving up whether we’re down or we’re up,” said Stockton, who earned some personal payback after getting beaten by Rey Nambatac at the horn back in the first round.
“We just wanted to keep our foot on the gas all throughout the game,” added the FEU product, who scored 12 of his points in the fourth and in OT combined.
With the vengeful victory, Converge finished its group phase run with an 8-4 record, while TNT settled for the fourth seed in the pool with a 7-5 slate.
“Malaking tulong po, alam naman ho natin na one of the big boys ‘tong TNT,” said Pineda when asked if the win could help his squad prepare for the best-of-five quarterfinals, where they will face the no. 2 team of Group B.
Cameron Clark top-scored for the FiberXers with 27 points, alongside seven rebounds and six assists. Juan Gomez de Liano delivered 22 points and eight assists, as they both had a hand in the spirited comeback late in the fourth.
The two dished the key assists that led to Stockton’s streak and sent the game into extra time. Gomez de Liano would also be crucial in OT, nailing a high-arching pull-up from the elbow for the 112-110 lead with 1:19 to spare.
Justine Baltazar made 19 points and 12 rebounds, with Jonnel Policarpio adding 10 markers, five rebounds, and seven assists. Those five headed the balanced attack that sent Converge to the playoffs riding a five-game winning streak.
“I’ll give a break muna sa mga bata. But Sunday na po ‘yung game so we need to prepare,” said Pineda when asked how he plans to handle their momentum entering the ‘final eight,’ which commences next Sunday, October 25.
(C) UAAP Season 89 Media Team
Hollis-Jefferson led the Tropang 5G with 33 points on 13-of-25 shooting from the field and 11 rebounds. Jordan Heading made 21 points, while Calvin Oftana and Roger Pogoy added 14 and 12 markers, respectively, in the meltdown.
Now, they wait for their opponent in the quarters, which will be the team finishing first in Group B — possibly Magnolia, Phoenix, or Rain or Shine.
The Scores:
Converge 114 – Clark 27, Gomez de Liano 22, Baltazar 19, Stockton 19, Policarpio 10, Abueva 5, Arana 4, Williams 3, Garcia 3, Tungcab 2, Concepcion 0.
TNT 112 – Hollis-Jefferson 33, Heading 21, Oftana 14, Pogoy 12, Nambatac 8, Galinato 6, Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Castro 5, Erram 4, Khobuntin 5.
Quarterscores: 27-35, 55-56, 74-86, 106-106, 114-112.
