CONVERGE kept Triple Crown-seeking TNT winless in two starts, banking heavily on the big games of its twin tower to pull off a 100-94 victory in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo Sunday.
Young big talents Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana showed their worth, each one delivering double-double numbers with Schonny Winston and Alec Stockton adding 19 apiece as the FiberXers scored a second straight win and improved to 3-2.
Coach Franco Atienza was elated with their ambush of the Tropang 5G, especially on how they handled TNT's searing rally from 22 down in the third period.
"For a young team like ours, malaking bagay ganitong close game, yung ganitong nasusubok how we fight adversity. At ang ganda na nalusutan namin ito," said Atienza.
"Isa pa, hawig nito yung next game namin. Ito yung team na nag-knock out sa amin last conference. And we look forward to this game," Atienza added, referring to their game against Rain or Shine Wednesday over at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
Sponsored content:
TNT is a team out to prove it's a good team even minus champion import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
But the Tropang 5G are now 0-2 with back-to-back shattering defeats to NLEX then to Converge.
Calvin Oftana and his teammates had their bristling run in the third where they chipped away and threatened at 65-71 going into the final canto.
The FiberXers, however, showed their composure, with Baltazar, Arana and Stockton themselves putting in the buckets as they reestablished a double-digit spread and went on to claim a followup on their 111-80 rout of the Blackwater Bossing on April 13.
"Naging ready lang kami. Alam namin malakas ang TNT, at kailangan naman takbuhan, kailangan namin maging aggressive," said Baltazar, gaining Best Player of the Game honors with his second-half sizzler highlighting his 21-point, 12-rebound outing.
Sponsored content:
Baltazar was efficient with a 7-of-9 field-goal clip and 7-of-8 charities as Arana put in 22 markers and 11 boards for his own double-double game.
The two frontcourt operators teamed up well with backcourt aces Stockton and Winston as they negated Oftana's 33 points for TNT.
As they couldn't keep up with the Converge bigs, TNT coach Chot Reyes played small as a course of last resort in the last four minutes also to no avail.
Poy Erram was good for only nine points while Kelly Williams seven.(SB)
The scores:
Converge 100 - Arana 22, Baltazar 21, Winston 19, Stockton 19, Garcia 6, Racal 5, Suerte 4, Nermal 2, B. Santos 2, Delos Santos 0, R. Santos 0, Ambohot 0, Corpuz 0.
TNT 94 - Oftana 33, Pogoy 15, Nambatac 12, Erram 9, Enciso 9, Williams 8, Khobuntin 5, Aurin 3, Varilla 0, Razon 0.
Quarterscores: 28-16, 53-35, 71-65, 100-94
