The Converge FiberXers exploited the exit of Rain or Shine Elasto Painters import Deon Thompson in Game 1 of their PBA Commissioner's Cup quarters tiff.
When Rain or Shine import Deon Thompson got the boot with still over eight minutes left in the third period, things slowly began to fall into place for Converge.
Thompson exited after incurring his fifth foul against counterpart Cheick Diallo.
The FiberXers then exploited the gaping hole he left inside the paint especially in the fourth quarter to hammer out a 130-118 win in their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal opener on Wednesday, Feb. 5.
Without Thompson, Diallo and Justin Arana did everything they wanted down low.
Diallo dropped 18 of his 35 points in the second half he spiked with 17 rebounds, three assists and the same number of blocks.
Arana also had a field day, winding up with 22 points, 12 of which he poured in the final frame, and eight rebounds.
"'Yung focus namin, manalo talaga, eh… Gigil talaga kaming maka-seal ng panalo this Game 1,” said Arana after the match at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
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Though import-less for much of the third, the Elasto Painters managed to keep in step with the FiberXers.
But Converge started breaking away in the final period, where it outscored Rain or Shine, 31-22.
There was simply nothing the Elasto Painters could do as Diallo, Arana, and Justine Baltazar dominated their frontline.
Caelan Tiongson paced Rain or Shine with 23 points, three rebounds and two assists.
Anton Asistio and Adrian Nocum chipped in 14 points, while Thompson had 14 points, six rebounds, two assists and one block before fouling out.
Converge look to close out the series on Friday, Feb. 7, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Malate.
The Scores:
CONVERGE 130 – Diallo 35, Arana 22, Heading 21, Winston 17, Stockton 13, Baltazar 13, Delos Santos 4, Santos 3, Racal 2, Ambohot 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 118 – Tiongson 23, Asistio 14, Nocum 14, Thompson 14, Datu 12, Clarito 10, Ildefonso 9, Caracut 8, Lemetti 6, Belga 5, Santillan 3.
Quarterscores: 26-39, 64-62, 99-96, 130-118.