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Arvin Tolentino rediscovered his scoring touch just in time, delivering a standout performance as NorthPort held off Barangay Ginebra, 108-103, in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Wednesday, March 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.  

The Batang Pier avoided a sweep and forced a Game 5, though they had to withstand a furious late rally from the Gin Kings to keep their season alive. Ginebra still holds a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.  

Tolentino, who struggled in the first half with just two points, erupted for 18 in the second half to finish with 20. He also contributed across the board with 11 assists, nine rebounds, four steals, and a block in his best game of the series.  

Import Kadeem Jack led the charge with a dominant 39-point, 15-rebound performance while also dishing out five dimes. Will Navarro (16), Joshua Munzon (14), and Paolo Taha (11) also provided key contributions.  

"I had to step up, or else we’d be out," Tolentino said. "As a team, we found a way to win today. It feels great to win too. But again, it's just one win.” Tolentino said.

“We gotta win more and hopefully continue our good game. From the next game up to the last game, we have to find a way to win. Three more, it seems impossible, but nothing is impossible,” he added.

After a slow start, Tolentino came alive in the third quarter, scoring 14 points—including a clutch three-pointer to close the period—helping NorthPort build an 84-74 lead entering the fourth.  

Jack continued to dominate inside, converting an and-one play before Navarro drilled a three-pointer to stretch the lead to 96-88. Jack later extended the advantage to 104-93.  

But Ginebra fought back, going on a 7-0 run and capitalizing on NorthPort’s turnovers. Stephen Holt then nailed a crucial three-pointer off an RJ Abarrientos pass, cutting the deficit to 104-103 with 36.8 seconds left.  

Jack answered with a fadeaway jumper, and Tolentino sealed the win with two free throws.  

All five Ginebra starters scored in double figures, with Brownlee leading the way with 18 points. Troy Rosario added 17, while Holt had 15.  

NorthPort will now aim to extend the series again in Game 5, while Ginebra looks to close it out on Friday, March 7.

Calvin Oftana erupted for 26 points to lead the TNT Tropang Giga to a hard-fought 93-85 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday night, March 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Oftana also tallied three rebounds and four assists in his stellar performance, helping TNT move one step closer to the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

The Cebuano sweet-shooting forward dedicated the win to veteran Jayson Castro, who has been ruled out for the season due to a knee injury.

"Malaking bagay na wala si Kuya Jayson. Itong remaining games namin, inoffer namin sa kanya," said Oftana.

"Big factor si Kuya Jayson sa amin, pero hindi lang isang tao ang makakapuno sa kawalan niya. Kailangan namin magtulungan bilang isang team," he added.

Fellow Cebuano RR Pogoy provided solid support, finishing with 22 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal, and a block.

TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson delivered another all-around performance, contributing 17 markers, 11 boards, five deflections, two rejections, and a dime.

Rey Nambatac chipped in 12 points and six rebounds, while Kim Aurin added nine markers, including a crucial three-pointer in the closing minutes.

On the other side, Rain or Shine's reinforcement Deon Thompson put up a game-high 44 points and 13 rebounds, but his efforts were in vain as his local teammates struggled to produce. Keith Datu and Anton Asistio were the closest to double figures, finishing with eight points each.

Tropang Giga now has the chance to close out the series on Friday, March 7, at 5:00 PM at the same venue. However, with Rain or Shine's resilience throughout the series, the Elasto Painters could still force a deciding Game 5.

After dominating NorthPort in the Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup semi-finals series, Barangay Ginebra got closer to another Finals appearance.

The Kings got the 3-0 commanding lead in their semis battle after dismantling the Batang Pier 127-100, Sunday night, March 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jamie Malonzo led the charge with 27 points on 4-of-5 shooting from three-point territory. He also grabbed eight rebounds in his breakout game after returning to action last January. 

Ginebra’s resident import, Justin Brownlee, provided solid support with 22 points, shooting 5-of-7 from three-point range.

Veterans Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, and Troy Rosario also contributed significantly, scoring 17, 15, and 10 points, respectively.

RJ Abarrientos made an impact off the bench with a double-double of 10 points and 10 assists, posting a plus-24 rating whenever he was on the floor.

On the other hand, NorthPort’s Kadeem Jack carried the Batang Pier on his shoulders as he put up a game-high 32 points along with four assists, two steals, and a block. However, he managed just three rebounds.

Arvin Tolentino struggled offensively, finishing with 15 points on 5-of-14 shooting, including a cold 1-of-6 from three-point range – far from this elimination round average where he became the league-leading candidate for the Best Player of the Conference award.

Paolo Taha was the only other NorthPort player to score in double figures, contributing 10 points on an efficient 5-of-6 shooting.

Ginebra’s depth proved crucial, outscoring NorthPort’s bench 58-39, allowing them to maintain control throughout the game.

The Gin Kings will have a chance to close out the series on Wednesday, March 5, at 2 PM, at the same venue.

Adrian Nocum delivered another all-around performance, tallying 16 points, eight rebounds, and four assists to lead Rain or Shine to a 103-98 victory over TNT in Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semi-final showdown on Sunday night, March 2, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Once again, Nocum was inserted into the starting lineup for the Elasto Painters, proving he was worthy of the trust placed in him by head coach Yeng Guiao.

The 24-year-old guard also drew eight fouls against TNT, matching the tally of import Deon Thompson, who led the team with 19 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.

Beyond Nocum, Caelan Tiongson stepped up with one of his best performances in the playoffs, contributing 18 points, four rebounds, and four assists, while Anton Asistio and Gian Mamuyac added 12 and nine points, respectively.

On the other hand, Tropang Giga, missing veteran Jayson Castro due to season-ending injury, leaned heavily on reinforcement Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who erupted for a game-high 34 points and 19 rebounds.

Hollis-Jefferson logged over 45 minutes on the court despite observing a daytime fast for Ramadan.

Roger Ray Pogoy provided much-needed support with his best performance of the series, scoring 21 points, while Calvin Oftana and John Paul Erram chipped in 13 and 10 points, respectively.

As in Games 1 and 2, the matchup remained tight until the closing moments. However, this time, Rain or Shine managed to break through and secure a crucial win to stay within reach in the series.

The Elasto Painters will look to even the series at 2-2 on Wednesday, March 5, at 7:30 PM at the same venue.

The Scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 103 - Thompson 19, Tiongson 18, Nocum 16, Asistio 12, Mamuyac 9, Santillan 8, Clarito 7, Norwood 7, Datu 4, Caracut 3, Lemetti 0.

TNT 98 - Hollis-Jefferson 34, Pogoy 21, Oftana 13, Erram 10, Williams 8, Aurin 8, Nambatac 2, Khobuntin 2, Heruela 0, Razon 0.

Quarter Scores: 21-21, 49-43, 75-73, 103-98.

Barangay Ginebra pulled away in the third quarter to secure a 115-93 victory over NorthPort in Game 1 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series last night, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Gin Kings relied on balanced scoring, led by Justin Brownlee’s 19 points, to take the series opener. He also contributed four rebounds and four assists in just 32 minutes of action.

Troy Rosario followed with 15 points, while RJ Abarrientos added 14, and Japeth Aguilar chipped in 11.

Nearly all players fielded by head coach Tim Cone got on the scoreboard, except for Ben Adamos.

Despite the dominant win, Cone remained grounded, reminding his team that it was only the first step in a long series.

Still, the victory is a significant confidence boost for a Ginebra squad that struggled with limited practice time during the long break. Cone, Brownlee, Rosario, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, and LA Tenorio were all occupied with Gilas Pilipinas commitments.

On the other side, Kadeem Jack—NorthPort’s Best Import frontrunner—put up an impressive 33-point, 12-rebound performance, including 21 points in the first half, keeping his team within striking distance at 51-56 by halftime.

However, he received little offensive support. Joshua Munzon was the only other Batang Pier player in double figures with 10 points.

Arvin Tolentino, a top contender for Best Player of the Conference, was held to just eight points, while William Navarro also finished with eight.

NorthPort will aim to bounce back and even the series in Game 2, scheduled for Friday, February 28, at 5 PM at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

Jayson Castro turned back the clock as the TNT Tropang Giga claimed an 88-84 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Game 1 of their best-of-seven series in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The 38-year-old Castro was lethal from beyond the arc, hitting six of his seven three-point attempts to finish with a team-high 24 points.

Like Castro, Gilas Pilipinas forward Calvin Oftana also excelled from long range, scoring 22 markers on 6-of-8 shooting from three-point territory, helping TNT pull off the win despite a poor shooting night from star import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Hollis-Jefferson finished with 23 points but struggled with his shooting, making just 8-of-27 field goal attempts and missing all seven of his three-point efforts.

“Rondae shot really poorly, he didn’t even hit 30% of his shots, so it was important that other guys stepped up,” said TNT head coach Chot Reyes. “Rain or Shine did a really good job defending Rondae, and when that happens, we need to go to our counters.” 

“Jayson and Calvin provided that firepower off the bench. It was a tough game for us, but we managed to win even with our import struggling offensively,” he added.

Rain or Shine led by as much as nine points early in the second quarter, 37-28, but Oftana sparked the turnaround for TNT, scoring 12 of his 22 points to give the Tropang Giga a 51-47 lead at halftime.

The second half was a close contest, and with the game tied at 81 with under five minutes remaining, TNT went on a 6-1 run, with baskets from RR Pogoy, Castro, and Hollis-Jefferson.

Rain or Shine came within one point after Andrei Caracut’s two free throws with 1:59 left, making it 84-87. However, that was the last time they scored as TNT’s defense forced four consecutive turnovers in the closing moments.

Deon Thompson led Rain or Shine with a game-high 29 markers and 16 rebounds but also committed a game-high seven turnovers. Adrian Nocum was the only other Elasto Painter in double figures, contributing 18 points.

Following the establishment of Masters Pinoy Pilipinas 45up Basketball team in the latter part of 2024, the said basketball team is now preparing themselves and getting ready to compete in the upcoming World Masters Games to be held in Taiwan on May 17 to May 30. 

Masters Pinoy Pilipinas Team Manager and Architect Rey Punongbayan said that the initial practice already started since December last year and they are now in the process of selecting  the 12 players who will join and be included in their roster list who will compete in 5x5 and 3x3 category. 

“We have 12 players, that's for the World Masters Games, plus we also have 3x3. So that we can maximize our participation,” said Punongbayan in an exclusive interview with Dribble Report.

Punongbayan also said that their players are among those who are ex-pro in Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and other collegiate basketball leagues in the country that are physically capable and conditioned themselves in this field of sports. 

“Right now, we are in deep preparation for our participation. We combine all the players that are young in age and ex-pro only, 45 years old and up. It will happen on May 17 to 30," Punongbayan shared.

"So, we will compete there (Taiwan), and in other Asian countries,” he added.

Pinoy Masters head coach Arlene Rodriguez emphasizes the importance of this team to those who are in the age 45 years old and above because they already understand the game better and they already have a lot of experience playing basketball physically fit but also mentally prepared and alert. 

“Actually, they understand the game better as they already have a lot of experience playing. Mentally, they are prepared, they can pick the instructions easily, unlike the young ones that need details of everything,” said coach Rodriguez.

Coach Rodriguez added that upon the selection of their players in Pinoy Masters they need to work out and level up the conditioning of all players including the team effort from both defense and offense. 

“The only thing that we need to work out is their conditioning, including team effort from both offense and defense,” Coach Rodriguez added.

Punongbayan and Coach Rodriguez asked our countrymen to support the Masters Pinoy in their upcoming tournament happening on May 17 to 30. 

“Please support our Pinoy Masters Pilipinas 45 up team that will compete in the World Masters tournament from May 17 to 30 in Taiwan. So, please support us and Laban Pilipinas,” Punongbayan concluded. 

“I hope you support us. Masters Pinoy in the World Masters tournament in Taiwan from May 17th to 30th,” Coach Rodriguez finished.

Gilas Pilipinas unbeaten record in the Group B of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers will be on the line when they face Chinese Taipei tonight, February 20, 7:00 PM at the Taipei Heping basketball gymnasium.

The Philippine team has already qualified for the Asian Cup tournament set in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia from August 5-17 as they swept the first two windows to have a 4-0 win-loss record.

On the other hand, the Taiwanese are battling for survival as they only have one win in the tournament against three losses. The only team that they have beaten so far is Hong Kong, China (0-4) whom they dismantled at home, 88-55.

A win will give them a higher chance to finish third place in Group B and make it to the Qualifying Tournament among third placed teams and a possible last-minute shot of making it to Jeddah.

In their first encounter last year, the Philippines defeated Chinese Taipei, 106-53, at the Philsports Arena. The Filipinos would like to repeat the win but are expecting a tougher battler as they face a team looking for redemption.

Though the Filipinos have already qualified for the Asian Cup tournament, Gilas head coach Tim Cone emphasized that they will use this third and final window as preparation for the said tourney.

After tonight’s game, Gilas will fly to New Zealand to battle the Tall Blacks on February 23 in Auckland.

Like Gilas, the Tall Blacks have already qualified for the Asian Cup with a 3-1 record, and will also use the final window to prepare for the next tournament.

The Philippine team came off a five-day, three-game friendly in Doha, Qatar, where they ended up with a 1-2 record, its lone win coming at the expense of the home team, 74-71.

"That's what being a professional basketball player is all about. You have to be ready to play regardless of where and what time. You got to put your best foot forward at all times," said Chris Newsome regarding their national team duties where they have to play five games in three different countries in just about a week.

"Tough schedule, but that's just the way it is this window," Dwight Ramos added.

Gilas might have a tough schedule but it will also give the Philippine team a chance to be tougher and fight better in the higher level of basketball competition.

Gilas Pilipinas Women 3x3 and Uratez Dream fought hard and reached the semifinals of the Jumpshot 3x3 Season 2 in Singapore over the weekend.

Both Filipino teams exhibited great resilience in their matches but ultimately fell short in the Final Four.

Gilas Women made it tough for their opponents before losing to the eventual champions, Chuu of Thailand, 15-13.

Kaye Pingol rejoined the Nationals, teaming up with Camille Clarin, Jhaz Joson, and Mikka Cacho. They topped Pool C with a perfect 3-0 record before defeating NTSC 1, 16-14, in the quarterfinals.

Uratex Dream, meanwhile, fell to the Panthers 3x3 Spain, 21-14, in their semifinal match.

With veterans Sam Harada and Li Renzhu, and additions Hazelle Yam and Japanese guard Wakana Yagami, Uratex finished second in Pool B with a 2-1 record. They advanced to the quarters, beating Shoot It Dragons, 21-16.

Despite their defeats, it was a strong showing for the Philippine teams, following their performance at the Manila Hustle 3x3 Season 3 last week.

Uratex Tibay, which included CC Junsay, Marian Domingo, Lourdes Ordoveza, and Ford Grajales, did not make it past the group stages with a 1-2 record in Pool A.

Chuu, led by Thai stars Bo Supavadee and Junny Udomsuk, took home the women’s title and the USD3,000 prize after defeating the Panthers 3×3, featuring Ari Geli and Paris Olympian Kacie Bosch.

On the men's side, Uncle Drew Pilipinas finished as runners-up after a 20-15 loss to Jumpshot Singapore in the final.

The team, made up of TH Tumalip, Shaq Alanes, and imports Joshua Keyes and Jose Blazquez, earned the top seed in Pool A, beating NTSC 2, 21-19, in the quarters and Chinese Taipei, 21-17, in the semifinals.

Luka Doncic was welcomed by the fans in the Crypto.com Arena with open arms when he made his debut wearing the Lakers jersey in Los Angeles, on Tuesday, February 11 (Philippine Time).

Doncic finished with 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists in his very first game as a Laker, after the shocking trade a week ago.

The Slovenian only played 24 minutes as he’s still recovering from injury, but the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t need much of his presence as the whole team already dominated the Utah Jazz to get the 132-113 victory.

It was also a dream-come-true for the 25-year-old wonder, who will turn a year older at the end of the month, as he played alongside his NBA idol, LeBron James.

James led all scorers with 24 markers, on top of his eight dimes, and seven boards in just 29 minutes of play. He was also +24 while inside the court but he turned the ball over seven times.

Besides Doncic and James, the three other starters also ended up in double-digits. Austin Reaves, who played point guard at times for the Lakers added 22 points and nine rebounds, while Rui Hachimura added 21-and-six, and Jaxson Hayes finished with 12 on a perfect 6-of-6 shooting from the field.

The bench also contributed well in the Lakers win as Jordan Goodwin chipped-in 17, while Gabe Vincent added 11.

On the other hand, all of the Utah Jazz starters scored a minimum of 13 points but not enough to stop the Lakers, who shot a high-clip of 54.3% from the field.

Meanwhile, in Dallas where Doncic played before the trade, the Mavericks lost to the Sacramento Kings in overtime, 128-129.

Doncic's trade counterpart, Anthony Davis did not play in the Mavs defeat due to injury. 

After failing to win against Barangay Ginebra last Sunday, February 9, in their best-of-three series in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals, the Meralco Bolts headed their way to Taiwan for another must-win showdown on Wednesday, February 12. 

The Bolts will face New Taipei Kings for the last time, where it will be known who will go to the final slot for the Final Four of the East Asia Super League. 

Meralco Bolts coach Luigi Trillo said that they will now focus on their match in the EASL, after their loss against Ginebra Kings. 

“Right now, we just have to focus on the next one. We have the ESL in front of us” said Coach Trillo. 

With head-to-head results as the first tiebreaker and this being their only meeting of the season, a Meralco win would tie both teams at 3-3 and send the Bolts to the Final Four. That makes this a must-win for both sides.

The Bolts started the season strong at 2-1 with wins over the Macau Black Bears and the Busan KCC Egis. They appeared poised for a 3-1 record, leading by 13 with three minutes left in a Dec. 18 rematch against KCC. However, KCC’s Heo Ung orchestrated a stunning 14-0 run, handing Meralco a heartbreaking loss. Also an 18-point blowout against Ryukyu dropped them to 2-3 standing.

According to Meralco Bolts team captain Chris Newsome, although it was sad on their part that they were not included in the PBA semi finals, but, it was happy because the country was lucky to be included in the EASL.

“That we earned to get to the position of being one of the top teams in the Philippines in EASL. Actually, the top team from the Philippines in EASL, so yeah, now it's time to go out there to Taipei,” said Newsome. 

Newsome also added that they will face a tough game on Wednesday against the Chinese Taipei Kings, especially because they also have Jeremy Lin in the line-up, but the Bolts team captain said that they will use the experience they had in the match against the Ginebra Kings to prepare the opponent.

“It's gonna be a tough one another away game, but I think this one is gonna be good for us because this Ginebra series prepared us for kind of what an away game.Yeah I mean everybody knows New Taipei is a tough team. They got Jeremy Lin. I know he's coming off an injury too,” Newsome added.

Barangay Ginebra got its sixth straight semi-final appearance after defeating Meralco 94-87 in Game 3 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals series on Sunday night, February 9, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Justin Brownlee showed once again how clutch he is, pouring out an almost triple-double performance of 25 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists to lead the Gin Kings.

He was supported by RJ Abbarientos, who contributed 16 markers while excellently orchestrating the offense for Ginebra.

Stephen Holt added 17, while Troy Rosario put up 12 to help Brownlee and Abarrientos in bringing another Final Four slot for the Gin Kings.

Meanwhile, Meralco was led by team captain Chris Newsome with 22 points, who lacked help from their reinforcement Akil Mitchell, who was limited to only eight markers.

Bong Quinto, Cliff Hodge, and Chris Banchero had 16, 13, and 12, respectively, in helping the Bolts fight for their conference lives.

Ginebra will face the top-seeded NorthPort Batang Pier in the Final Four that will begin on February 26, Wednesday, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Scores:

GINEBRA 94 - Brownlee 25, Holt 17, Abarrientos 16, Rosario 12, Thompson 7, J.Aguilar 6, Ahanmisi 6, Cu 5, Malonzo 0.

MERALCO 87: Newsome 22, Quinto 16, Hodge 13, Banchero 12, Black 9, Mitchell 8, Rios 5, Almazan 2, Bates 0.

Quarter Scores: 19-22, 37-38, 64-58, 94-87.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters entered the semifinals for the third straight time, after defeating the Converge FiberXers in Game 3 of their quarterfinals duel of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, 112-103, on Sunday night, February 9, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

RoS import Deon Thompson led the charge with 32 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, while Game 2 hero Adrian Nocum, added 25 markers.

In the post-game interview, E-Painters head coach Yeng Guiao said, "We're very happy. The past two conferences we made the semifinals so it would be a pity if we did not make the semifinals this conference.It's also a validation of all the hard work the guys put in, the togetherness and the camaraderie that they have."

Now that they are in the Final Four, they will once again meet the TNT Tropang Giga, who defeated them in the previous Governors’ Cup.

TNT derailed the Rain or Shine’s finals hopes last conference, winning their series 4-1, and eventually won the championship.

But Guiao is unfazed by the situation, "Ang ano ko rito, if you hang around long enough maybe you'll make the finals. So just hang around there, be in the thick of the fight," he said, only half in jest.

"Just be there, just show up and maybe one day you can get to the finals. Iyon lang objective namin," he added.

On the other hand, Alec Stockton had a career-best 26 points, on top of six assists to pace Converge, while import Cheick Diallo had 19 markers and 13 boards.

Diallo spent a lengthy amount of time on the bench after committing his fifth foul at the 5:45 mark of the third period. He was fielded again at the 9:45 mark of the final canto.

The Final Four will begin on Wednesday, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 112 - Thompson 34, Nocum 25, Caracut 14, Clarito 11, Asistio 7, Belga 6, Datu 5, Tiongson 5, Santillan 4, Malonzo 1.

CONVERGE 103 - Stockton 26, Diallo 19, Baltazar 16, Arana 15, Winston 14, Racal 7, Heading 3, Andrade 3, Santos 0, Cabagnot 0, Caralipio 0, Delos Santos 0, Javillonar 0.

Quarter Scores: 22-21, 50-45, 80-77, 112-103.

Scottie Thompson tallied 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists, five steals, and a block to lead Barangay Ginebra in defeating Meralco 100-92 in Game 1 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals duel last night, February 5, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Thompson was all-around the court scoring buckets, grabbing emphatic boards, dishing off important dimes, while deflecting opponent’s passes and protecting the rim.

Resident import Justin Brownlee added another 23 markers to help Thompson, while Japeth Aguilar contributed 19.

Rookie RJ Abarrientos was also instrumental to the win, as he produced 14 points on top of his six assists and four rebounds.

On the other hand, Chris Newsome paced Meralco with 20 markers, including two three-pointers, while import Akil Mitchell, who just returned in action after missing two games due to injury, added 19 points and 14 boards.

Jansen Rios, Chris Banchero, and Bong Quinto also scored in double-digits, supplying 13, 12, and 11, respectively.

Game 2 is set on Friday, February 7, 5:00 PM at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

If Ginebra wins that game, the Gin Kings will be already entering the semis, but if Meralco wins, the Bolts will force a sudden-death match on Sunday, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The Scores:

GINEBRA 100 - Brownlee 23, Thompson 23, J. Aguilar 19, Abarrientos 14, Rosario 8, Malonzo 7, Holt 6, Ahanmisi 0.

MERALCO 92 - Newsome 20, Mitchell 19, Rios 13, Banchero 12, Quinto 11, Almazan 8, Black 5, Hodge 4, Bates 0, Cansino 0.

Quarter Scores: 24-17, 50-47, 78-76, 100-92.

Justin Arana returned to the hardcourt to guide Converge past Rain or Shine as it eked out a 130-118 win in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinals series in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday, February 5, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

Converge’s big man put up 22 points and eight rebounds in his return from a knee injury that saw the FiberXers overcome a 17-point deficit to win the first game of the best-of-three quarterfinals. 

“This is our fifth time being in the quarterfinals but we have yet to reach the semis. We’re really eager to seal the win,” said Arana in Filipino. “Hopefully, we get another win so we can make our first semis trip.”

As Rain or Shine continued to dominate despite the manpower problem, Adrian Nocum then made a three-pointer to put the deficit at 104-105 early in the fourth quarter.

After being forced to sit out due to a blatant foul late in the third, Arana came alive and made up for lost time. 

Unfazed by the hyperextended knee he sustained in their penultimate elimination round matchup against the San Miguel Berrmen on January 24, Arana gave Converge a comfortable 122-108 cushion after sinking nine points in a 17-4 run.

Import Cheick Diallo top scored for the FiberXers with 35 markers on top of 17 boards and three rejections, capitalizing on the premature exit of Elasto Painters counterpart Deon Thompson in the third period due to six fouls. 

Jordan Heading posted 21 points with nine assists and two blocks for the FiberXers, while Schonny Winston registered 17 markers, pulled down four boards, and dished out four dimes. 

Alec Stockton delivered a 13-point, 10-assist double-double, with rookie Justin Baltazar adding 13 markers and six boards, highlighted by his poster slam on veteran Beau Belga during their fourth-quarter breakaway.

Meanwhile, Caelan Tiongson scored 23 points, three rebounds, and two assists to lead the Elasto Painters. But his efforts went down the drain as it was unable to cover the void left by Thompson, who played just under 25 minutes.

Adrian Nocum and Anton Asistio contributed 14 points each in the defeat.

Converge will look to conclude the series and advance to the semifinals when Game 2 unwraps on Friday, February 7, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.