Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar will once again take the lead role as Converge tries to bounce back from Friday's disappointing loss to Meralco.
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CONVERGE and Phoenix Super LPG eye a quick turnaround from an opening-day setback as they slug it out in the first Sunday mainer in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
The Fuel Masters squandered a big 20-point lead in an endgame foldup leading to a heart-rending 89-91 loss to the Meralco Bolts.
In the same bill that kicked off the season-ending tourney Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, the Fuel Masters faced a highly charged Terrafirma team starting its farewell tourney in the league.
Despite a 30-point sizzler from Kai Ballungay, the Fuel Masters couldn't keep up with the spirited Terrafirma charge and went down to an 87-95 defeat.
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With little recovery time, the two teams return to play at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, also at NAS.
One side is to crack the winning column while the other will reel down to a second straight loss.
And it's expected to be fierce battle.
Justin Arana and his Converge teammates had looked on the way to a triumphant conference start but blew away a big lead and eventually bowed to the Bolts after going scoreless in the last two minutes of the game.
Chris Newsome fired a three-pointer to tie the count at 89-all in the last 59-second mark and buried a tough fadeaway off two defenders with .1 second to go as the Bolts took the steal.
The FiberXers set the pace most of the way with Arana, Alec Stockton, Justine Baltazar and Schonny Winston piling up at least 13 points each.
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Arana top scored with 23 points while Baltazar tallied 14 markers and 10 rebounds to no avail.(SB)
