STARING at a 17-point lead with 9:51 left to play, Converge simply refused to give up, and instead chipped away, chipped away and chipped away until it seized the lead and the win at the finish.
Justin Arana scored off Leo Santillan for the go-ahead basket, highlighting the FiberXers' incredible comeback en route to a 102-101 nail-biter over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and to an outright playoff passage in the PBA Commissioner's Cup.
From their shattering loss to the Bay Area Dragons Friday, the Elasto Painters threatened to stop the hottest romp in the tourney.
But Converge found a way to wriggle out of a tight situation, stealing the game and thus extending their streak to a seventh straight win to the delight of their throng at the Big Dome.
Quincy Miller and his teammates kept in step with the Dragons at 8-2 - a card guaranteeing them of a spot in the post-elims play.
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"In the first half, we lacked the energy, and we made up for it in the second half. We knew the importance of the game and we gutted it out to get it," said Jeron Teng, who fired 20 points to top score for the Fiberxers who drew double-digit outputs from seven players.
"They (the Elasto Painters) played good basketball, and we had to play a tough defense. We took it one possession at a time, making two points, two points and two points to come up with the win in the end," said Miller, himself gutting it out to produce 19 markers and 20 rebounds.
Arana finished with 16 markers while Abu Tratter, Aljun Melecio, RK Ilagan and Maverick Ahanmisi chipped in 11 apiece as Converge beat ROS with a tremendous effort at endgame, dealing the E-Painters a sixth loss against four wins.
The bitter result sent coach Yeng Guiao and his crew outside the Magic Eight.
At 8-2, Bay Area and Converge are now leading the race for the Top Two and the twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals.
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And the FiberXers will fight for it.
"We're in our third month together now. Nandon na, may habit na, and we have to stick with the system, and try to be better in doing it," said Converge coach Aldin Ayo. (SB)
The Scores:
Converge 102 - Teng 20, Miller 19, Arana 16, Tratter 11, Melecio 11, Ahanmisi 11, Ilagan 11, Stockton 3, DiGregorio 0, Tolomia 0, Racal 0 , Ambohot 0.
Rain or Shine 101 - Pearson 25, Mamuyac 24, Asistio 16, Caracut 11, Nambatac 10, Santillan 6, Belga 4, Norwood 3, Demusis 2, Borboran 0.
Quarters: 25-27, 55-57, 69-84, 102-101
