ANTIPOLO –Two wins in three games in a span of five days for Converge FiberX.

Not bad.

Justin Arana delivered the game-winner — a lay-up off a pass from Alec Stockton — with 5.8 seconds left as Converge overcame a 20-point deficit to roll back Magnolia, 93-91, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.

The heroics of Arana and Stockton capped the FiberXers’s rally, battling back from a 45-65 deficit to notch their second win in three games over five days.

The Hotshots fell to 1-1.

Arana led the way for Converge with 24 points.

Stockton, who was named as “Best Player of the Game” finished with 18 points,10 rebounds and seven assists.

Stockton was also responsible for tying the score at 91-all with a dramatic pull-up three-pointer with 43.7 seconds left.

Last Saturday, import Kadeem Jack and Arvin Tolentino did most of the damage as NorthPort Batang Pier outsteadied import-less Terrafirma Dyip, 113-101.

Jack, a 32-year-old power-forward from Queens, New York, produced monster numbers of 32 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks for the Batang Pier, who capitalized on the absence of Terrafirma import Ryan Richards, who exited the game after playing just one second due to an injury.

Tolentino finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in NorthPort’s second straight win.

The Batang Pier also got double-double from Fran Yu (13 points, 10 assists) and William Navarro (10 points, 10 rebounds).

Vic Manuel led the losing effort for the Terrafirma with 23 points and five rebounds, followed by Mark Nonoy with 21 points and three rebounds.

Terrafirma dropped to 0-2.

Earlier, NLEX Road Warriors notched their first win after 107-95 win against Blackwater Bossing in the curtainraiser.

Robert Bolick bounced back after scoring only three points in their first game, finishing with 23 points and 10 rebounds.

Import Mike Watkins added a 20-20 game of 26 points and 25 rebounds for NLEX, which improved its record to 1-1.

Bolick and Watkins also got support from Richie Rodger with 14 points, Xyrus Torres with 12 points and Enoch Valdez with 11 points.

George King scored 40 points on 12-of-31 shooting, and eight rebounds to lead the the Bossing.

Justin Chua added 13 points while Frederick Tungcab, James Kwekuteye, Christian David and Kib Montalbo chipped in with eight points each.

The scores:

Converge (93) –Arana 24, Stockton 18, Racal 10, Diallo 10, Heading 8, Santos 8, Andrade 5, Winston 5, Nieto 3, Delos Santos 2.
Magnolia (91) – Ratliffe 25, Lastimosa 14, Sangalang 12, Ahanmisi 12, Lee 10, Lucero 10, Barroca 6, Laput 2, Dela Rosa 0, Dionisio 0.
Quarterscores: 22-26, 38-53, 67-75, 93-91.

Last Saturday:

First game

NLEX (107) — Watkins 26, Bolick 23, Rodger 14, Torres 12, Valdez 11, Semerad 8, Amer 6, Herndon 3, Bahio 2, Mocon 2, Policarpio 0, Nermal 0.
Blackwater (95) — King 40, Chua 13, Tungcab 8, Kwekuteye 8, David 8, Montalbo 8, Ilagan 5, Escoto 5.
Quarterscores: 22-17, 53-46, 81-69, 107-95.

Second game

NorthPort (113) — Jack 32, Tolentino 21, Yu 13, Munzon 12, Navarro 10, Nelle 9, Bulanadi 5, Onwubere 5, Taha 4, Flores 2, Tratter 0.
Terrafirma (101) — Manuel 23, Nonoy 21, Pringle 15, Ferrer 14, Sangalang 12, Ramos 10, Melecio 3, Catapusan 3, Hernandez 0, Olivario 0.
Quarterscores: 32-24, 56-40, 85-69, 113-101.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Robert Andaya