CONVERGE pummeled Blackwater in the middle quarters and rolled to a big win heading to a long breather with a 111-80 drubbing of the Bossing in a Palm Sunday showdown in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Justin Arana, Schonny Winston and Justine Baltazar asserted themselves as the FiberXers unleashed a 28-14 salvo in the second period then a 32-15 tear in the third in a stirring breakaway en route to the big 31-point rout.
They once again bounced back from a loss and hit the .500 mark at 2-2 before taking a two-week break.
They play a tough game in their return on April 27 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo versus the Triple Crown-seeking TNT Tropang 5G (formerly Tropang Giga).
"It's good to win this game before our long break and before facing a tough, tough team in TNT which is now chasing a grand slam," said Converge Franco Atienza.
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Arana scored 11 points in the middle quarters and finished with 19 points plus 11 rebounds as Baltazar had his own double-double with 16 and 10 while Winston fired 16 points on top of five assists and three rebounds as the FiberXers dealt the Bossing another shattering loss after an 84-106 massacre by the San Miguel Beermen.
The Bossing struggled with a 34-percent clip in facing the FiberXers' efficient defense going with their torrid shooting.
Curiously, the FiberXers hit at a 50-percent clip from the three-point zone, just a slight down from their 51.7-percent overall shooting.
"It should be a weapon. Kaya inilagay ang three-point shooting para gamitin. They've been working on it in practice so kailangan itira nila," said Atienza.
"We put a lot of work in practice, before and after," said Winston on what made them confident to take the treys.
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Winston and Baltazar were both 2-of-3 from beyond the arc while Rey Suerte was better with three treys in four attempts.
Inasmuch as they want to use three-point shooting, the FiberXers want to play tough on defense.
"We have to reinvent ourselves and have the defensive identity. We know that we'll get out shots, but it we want to be a contender, we have to toughen up on defense," said Atienza.(SB)
Second Game
Converge 111 - Arana 19, Winston 16, Baltazar 16, Suerte 11, B. Santos 10, Garcia 9, Delos Santos 7, Racal 5, Stockton 4, Fleming 4, Caralipio 4, Corpuz 3, R. Santos 2, Nermal 1.
Blackwater 80 - Ilagan 19, Escoto 11, Chua 9, Tungcab 9, Caperal 7, Kwekuteye 6, Barefield 5, Jopia 4, Andrade 3, Guinto 3, Ayonayon 2, Mitchell 2, David 0, Casio 0,
Mallillin 0.
Quarterscores: 21-24, 49-38, 81-53, 111-80
