MANILA, Philippines — The Converge FiberXers finally got their long-awaited revenge.
Months after suffering one of the biggest upsets of the previous conference, Converge survived a furious late rally by the Terrafirma Dyip to escape with a hard-earned 105-103 victory in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Wednesday night.
The victory was more than just another win in the standings—it was a statement for a Converge squad eager to erase the memories of its shocking 111-100 overtime defeat to Terrafirma last March.
Justin Arana Delivers Career Performance
With import Jalen Hudson struggling throughout the contest, Justin Arana stepped up when Converge needed him most.
Arana produced one of the finest games of his PBA career, finishing with:
- 31 points
- 10 rebounds
- 3 assists
- 1 steal
- 1 block
His dominant inside presence kept the FiberXers in control despite Hudson enduring an off night, scoring only two points on 1-of-14 shooting from the field.
Following the game, Arana admitted that their previous loss to Terrafirma became the team’s biggest source of motivation.
“Siyempre, malaking bagay last conference yung talo namin sa kanila. Pero siyempre, trinabaho lang namin, binigay lang namin 100% best namin kasi siyempre sobrang gusto naming bumawi this conference kasi sobrang disappointing nung last conference namin.”
For Arana, the mission was clear from the opening tip.
“Kailangan naming makabawi this conference. Yan talaga yung main motivation namin. Hindi na maulit yung last conference.”
COURTESY: PHILSTAR GLOBAL
FiberXers Build Big Lead
Converge looked headed for a comfortable victory after taking complete control in the third quarter.
Behind Arana’s efficient scoring and timely contributions from the supporting cast, the FiberXers built a 78-62 advantage, their biggest lead of the night.
They maintained that cushion entering the fourth quarter and even stretched it back to double digits after Archie Concepcion knocked down a triple that gave Converge a 103-93 lead with just over four minutes remaining.
Everything appeared under control.
Then Terrafirma made one final push.
Terrafirma Mounts Late Comeback
The Dyip refused to go quietly.
Led by import Justin Strings, Terrafirma exploded with a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to trim the deficit to just 105-103 with 1:16 left in regulation.
Momentum had suddenly shifted.
After Justine Baltazar came up with a crucial block on an Aljon Mariano attempt, Terrafirma earned one last defensive stop and had an opportunity to either tie or win the game.
However, with time running out, the Dyip elected to attempt a four-point shot instead of working for a closer look.
The attempt missed, allowing Converge to finally secure the victory and avoid another heartbreaking collapse against the Dyip.
Delta Pineda: “Nalampasan Na Po Namin Yung Sumpa”
Converge head coach Delta Pineda acknowledged that Terrafirma has consistently played inspired basketball whenever they meet.
Despite building a comfortable advantage, he admitted his team once again had to survive another late scare.
“If we’re going to look at the stats, siguro same naman po noong last game. Siguro talagang pag kalaban kami ng Tera talagang ganado po sila talaga. We had a 16-point lead diba? Pero nahabol pa rin.”
Still, Pineda was relieved that Converge finally managed to overcome what he jokingly referred to as the team’s “Terrafirma curse.”
“But good thing nalampasan na po namin yung sumpa with Terra.”
Hudson Struggles, But Gets Vote of Confidence
While Arana carried the offensive load, import Jalen Hudson endured one of his toughest outings since joining Converge.
Hudson finished with just two points, missing 13 of his 14 field-goal attempts.
Despite the disappointing performance, Pineda expressed confidence that Hudson would quickly bounce back.
“Yung import namin right now, hindi makuha yung rhythm niya for this game. Yun ang nawawala sa amin, yung score ng import namin right now, for this game.”
He also urged patience.
“Bigyan pa ho natin ng pagkakataon. Last game naman, nag-perform naman din ang import namin, baka for this game lang talagang siguro nanibago.”
Balanced Scoring Helps Converge
Although Arana delivered the biggest performance of the evening, several FiberXers also made significant contributions.
Juan Gomez de Liano added 19 points, providing valuable perimeter scoring throughout the game.
Justine Baltazar chipped in 16 points, highlighted by his game-saving defensive play late in regulation.
Meanwhile, Archie Concepcion contributed 13 points, while MJ Garcia finished with 12, giving Converge balanced production from multiple players.
Their combined effort helped offset Hudson’s offensive struggles and ensured the FiberXers had enough firepower to withstand Terrafirma’s late charge.
Justin Strings Keeps Dyip Alive
Despite the loss, Terrafirma received a spectacular performance from import Justin Strings.
Strings erupted for 40 points, keeping the Dyip within striking distance throughout the contest and fueling the late comeback that nearly stunned Converge for the second straight conference.
Unfortunately for Terrafirma, the comeback ultimately fell just short as the final four-point attempt failed to find the mark.
Converge Finally Turns the Page
More than the victory itself, Wednesday’s result represented closure for the FiberXers.
The painful overtime loss to Terrafirma last conference lingered throughout the offseason, serving as motivation for the entire roster.
This time, Converge refused to let history repeat itself.
Behind Justin Arana’s career night, key contributions from the supporting cast, and just enough composure in the closing minutes, the FiberXers finally earned the revenge they had been waiting for.
For Converge, the win not only improves its standing in the PBA Governors’ Cup but also removes one psychological hurdle that had haunted the franchise.
The “Terrafirma curse,” as coach Delta Pineda called it, has finally come to an end.
