Hopson drops 46 as Converge defeats Terrafirma
Scotty Hopson scored 46 points to lead Converge in defeating Terrafirma, 127-95 at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, August 21.
Hopson's 46-point explosion was highlighted by his 3-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc and an impressive 75-percent shooting from the field. He also added eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks and one steal in his statline.
Alec Stockton also added 21 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field, while Schonny Winston scored 14 and Justin Arana put up 13 for the FiberXers who posted its largest win in team history.
Pringle and Standhardinger debut as Dyip
Terrafirma’s loss spoiled the arrival of Stanley Pringle and Christian Standhardinger to the team.
Even though the Dyip lost the game, the two “stans” still made immediate impact as Stanley led the team in scoring with 19 markers (including 2-of-3 from the four-point area) while Standhardinger added 17.
Dyip’s hefty import Antonio Hester and returning veteran Kevin Ferrer scored 18 a-piece while their star from last season, Juami Tiongson still tallied 10 markers despite playing through a sore left calf and missing his first seven shots.
The Scores:
CONVERGE 127 - Hopson 46, Stockton 21, Winston 14, Arana 13, Racal 9, Santos 5, Delos Santos 4, Melecio 4, Maagdenberg 3, Andrade 3, Fornilos 2, Nieto 2, Ambohot 0, Caralipio 0, Fleming 0.
TERRAFIRMA 95 - Pringle 19, Hester 18, Ferrer 18, Standhardinger 17, Tiongson 10, Ramos 5, Carino 4, Hanapi 2, Hernandez 2, Olivario 0, Cahilig 0.
QUARTERS: 34-25, 53-49, 100-67, 127-95
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It wasn’t the smoothest of starts for NLEX, which found itself down by 11 early in the game. But the tide shifted in the second quarter, where the Road Warriors erupted for a 34-12 run behind the efforts of Robert Bolick, Dominic Fajardo, Tony Semerad, and Xyrus Torres to seize a 52-36 halftime lead.
Blackwater attempted a late push, cutting the gap to 76-65 in the fourth quarter, but NLEX responded with a 12-5 counter that put the game out of reach. Semerad, who buried three triples in the payoff period, earned Finals MVP honors with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Torres topped the scoring for NLEX with 19 markers, while Bolick came close to a triple-double with eight points, six boards, and nine assists. JB Bahio and Fajardo chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively. As a team, the Road Warriors torched the net from beyond the arc, going 18-of-34, with Semerad and Torres sinking four each.
Sedrick Barefield paced Blackwater with 15 points, while Richard Escoto added 14. The Bossing, despite falling short in the finals, had an impressive run in the preliminaries, including a comeback win over NLEX, 95-90, earlier in the tournament.
The championship serves as a timely boost for NLEX heading into the new PBA season. Last year, the Road Warriors finished second in the Philippine Cup eliminations before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Rain or Shine. Deputy mentor Adonis Tierra called the shots in their last two games, steering the team to become the second straight PBA squad to lift the Kadayawan crown, following Rain or Shine’s sweep in 2024. NLEX closed the tournament with a 3-1 card, their lone loss coming at the hands of Blackwater.
In the battle for third place, Phoenix avoided a winless campaign with a convincing 101-81 rout of Converge. Raffy Verano led the way with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Tyler Tio and Kai Ballungay contributed 17 and 15 markers, respectively. The win marked the first for new head coach Willy Wilson, who took over during the offseason. Coincidentally, Phoenix also defeated Converge for third place in last year’s edition of the tournament.
The NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Bossing opened their campaigns in the 2025 Kadayawan Invitational with victories in their respective first games on Thursday, August 21, at the USEP Gym in Davao City.
In the first game, Sedrick Barefield made an immediate impact for the Bossing. The 2024 second overall pick erupted for 28 points, including six triples. Three of those came in succession in the fourth quarter, turning a slim 72-66 lead into a more comfortable 81-68 cushion.
Troy Mallillin contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while newcomer Jed Mendoza impressed in his debut with 16 points.
For the Phoenix Fuel Masters, Jason Perkins and Kai Ballungay scored 12 points apiece in their first game under new head coach Willie Wilson, who took over from Jamike Jarin after he was moved to a team consultant role.
The East Asia Super League (EASL) is officially set to raise the curtain on its new season with a twin opening in Taipei and Tokyo on October 8, 2025 — a move that reflects the league’s expanding reach and growing stature as Asia’s premier basketball competition.
All eyes in Taiwan will be on the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, which will host a blockbuster doubleheader featuring some of the region’s most decorated clubs.
The action tips off with a clash between the B.LEAGUE champions Utsunomiya Brex and the P. LEAGUE+ runners-up Taipei Fubon Braves. Utsunomiya, led by veteran guard Makoto Hiejima, entered as one of Japan’s most successful franchises. The Braves, meanwhile, look to prove their resilience after falling short in a grueling seven-game finals series last season, banking on the leadership of Chinese Taipei legend Lin Chih-Chieh.
The second game of the night brings a rematch between the P. LEAGUE+ champions Taoyuan Pauian Pilots and Japan’s Ryukyu Golden Kings. Their last encounter came in the 2025 EASL Final Four semifinals, where Taoyuan stunned Ryukyu, 71–64. This time, the Golden Kings are eager for redemption, while the Pilots hope to reaffirm their place among Asia’s elite.
Game schedule (HKT):
- Utsunomiya vs. Taipei Fubon – 6:30 PM
- Taoyuan vs. Ryukyu – 8:30 PM