Converge relied on import Cameron Clark and rookie Juan Gomez De Liaño down the stretch to hammer out a pulsating 112-110 escape act against an import-less NLEX in their PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Friday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The FiberXers blew a five-point lead and trailed, 99-97, after NLEX star Robert Bolick drained a four-point shot heading into the last two minutes of the game.
Converge, however, turned to Gomez de Liaño who retaliated with his own four-point shot that pushed his team ahead for good.
The Road Warriors still had a chance to potentially send the game into overtime after rookie LJay Gonzales buried a four-pointer to put them to within 110-112 with six-tenths of a second to go, while drawing a foul from Calvin Abueva.
Gonzales opted to deliberately miss the bonus shot with hopes of NLEX securing the rebound, but Clark collared the board as time expired.
Converge head to the long, two-month break with back-to-back wins, and improved to 5-4, grabbing solo third in Group A.
NLEX fell into a tie for the lead with San Miguel Beer at 7-2.
Clark led Converge with 37 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.
Gomez De Liaño and Justin Arana scored 19 points apiece even as Justine Baltazar added 11 points and seven boards.
Abueva had six points and 13 rebounds.
Gonzales led NLEX with 23 points, Bolick 19 while Schonny Winston 17.
The Road Warriors played without import DeQuan Jones, who sustained fractured right leg, in their 118-111 overtime win against the Tropang 5G.
The league takes a long break to give way for Gilas’ two major competitions— the FIBA World Cup 2027 Asian Qualifiers in late August and the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan in September.
