The best-of-three PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal series between Rain or Shine and Converge is expected to be a thriller.
The PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup playoff cast is now complete.
Magnolia just clinched the eighth spot after dispatching NLEX Sunday night, Feb. 3, to join NorthPort, TNT, Converge, Ginebra, Meralco, Rain or Shine and Eastern in the next round.
In this article, One Sports focused on the duel between the third-ranked FiberXers and the No. 6 Elasto Painters.
How Converge and Rain or Shine got to the playoffs
Converge (8-4)
The FiberXers secured a seat in the quarters at the expense of Rain or Shine, 103-96, last Jan. 14.
Converge could have clinched the twice-to-beat incentive but it split its final assignments against Blackwater (103-96) and San Miguel (113-116) to settle for the third seed.
Rain or Shine (7-5)
After an up-and-down January, the Elasto Painters finally clinched a playoff spot via a 106-96 win over TNT last Friday, Jan. 31.
Rain or Shine is actually tied with Meralco and Eastern but wound up sixth by virtue of quotient system.
Coach Yeng Guiao’s wards avoided complications, since a loss to the Tropang Giga would have relegated them to a playoff for the last quarterfinal berth against Magnolia.
Converge and Rain or Shine's elims matchup
Rain or Shine raced off to a fiery start but Converge recovered and hammered out a 103-96 victory at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate last Jan. 14.
The FiberXers overhauled a 17-point first quarter deficit behind Alec Stockon, who dropped 17 of his 21 points in the final period and chipped in four rebounds and five assists.
Converge import Cheick Diallo was feeling under the weather in that match, forcing the locals like Jordan Heading (17 points) and Justin Arana (15) to up the ante.
Deon Thompson will try to avenge the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters' elimination round loss to the Converge FiberXers when they meet again in the quarterfinals of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup. | Photo (c) RM Chua/One Sports
The Elasto Painters will definitely not let up when they lock horns with the FiberXers in their best-of-three quarterfinals.
“I think we have at least before Wednesday to find a way to beat Converge. 'Yung last game namin against them, tinambakan nila kami. So psychologically, they have an advantage over us. We’ll try to find a way to overcome that advantage,” said Guiao.