Converge has concluded its hunt for a first win in the PBA 48th season Commissioner’s Cup, upsetting Terrafirma in overtime, 103-94, on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena.
Jamil Wilson led the FiberXers with 32 points as they finally secured a victory after losing their first six matches.
The FiberXers also withstood a Dyip fightback that saw Javi Gomez de Liano send the game into overtime with a three-pointer in the last 4.4 seconds of regulation for an 88-88 tie.
Terrafirma dropped their fourth straight defeat and slipped to 2-5.
The FiberXers took a commanding lead in the extra session, 99-90, after scoring 11 points in a row.
For the FiberXers, Justin Arana contributed 14 points and eight rebounds, while Schonny Winston scored 17 points, including eight in the fourth quarter.
Juami Tiongson finished with 28 points and five rebounds for Terrafirma, who remained winless against Converge throughout its history.
Converge will aim to build off this win and gun for more as it faces Meralco on Sunday, December 17. 3 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Juami Tiongson, meanwhile, ended with 28 points and five rebounds to lead the Dyip, which went to their fourth consecutive loss — the conference’s second-worst skid just behind Blackwater, who is in the middle of a six-game losing run.
Stephen Holt had 14 points and Javi Gomez de Liano contributed 14 off the bench. Import Thomas de Thaey added 12 and 19 in the setback.
It was Gomez de Liano who leveled the game at 88-all after banking in a three-pointer with 4.4 seconds left in regulation, closing off an 8-2 run for his team after facing a six-point disadvantage with under three minutes remaining.
Tiongson then gave themselves the 90-88 lead to open extra time but they could not retain their grasp of it as Wilson, Arana, and rookie JL Delos Santos linked forces for the telling run that allowed Converge to put the game away.
Terrafirma succumbed once again to the only remaining active organization it has not beaten, according to league stats Chief Fidel Mangonon III.
The road will not get simpler for the Dyip as they face no. 1 seed Magnolia the following Wednesday, December 20, 8 p.m. at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores
Converge 103 – Wilson 32, Winston 17, Arana 14, Stockton 9, Nieto 7, Racal 6, Delos Santos 6, Wong 5, Balanza 4, Santos 3, Ambohot 0.
Terrafirma 94 – Tiongson 28, Holt 14, Gomez de Liano 13, De Thaey 12, Ramos 6, Alolino 5, Camson 5, Carino 4, Cahilig 3, Calvo 2, Miller 2, Go 0, Daquioag 0.
Quarter scores: 18-22, 43-38, 60-63, 88-88, 103-94.