WHEN the going gets tough, rookie Justin Arana gets going.
And he did it with aplomb Wednesday night, knocking down two clutch baskets to help Converge put away the Blackwater Bossing, 92-90, and secure the FiberXers a spot in the quarterfinals of the PBA Philippine Cup.
The 4th overall pick in this year's Annual Draft delivers the telling blows in the closing seconds of the tight contest--one to knot the game at 90 and another to put his team ahead against an enemy raring to arrest its skid.
And in between those tough shots, the 6-foot-7 big man made a key block on Bossing skipper JV Casio.
"My mindset was I was having a sloppy play early and I simply wanted to be better., If we lost, that would be our last game," the standout from Arellano U told reporters in Filipino moments after the all-important win at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Sponsored content:
"Just thankful to the Lord, he guided me through a shaky start and gave me strength to help my team extend its conference," added Arana, who finished with 13 points and five rebounds.
Coach Jeff Cariaso said turning to Arana at crunch time was a no-brainer.
"The best way to learn is to be out there," the Converge mentor said. "We understand that the way for him and our other rookies to improve is to throw them out there and gain experience."
"What I like about him is his work ethic. I think (Maverick Ahanmisi) can speak for him also saying he's one of the hardest workers, he's there early, and he leaves late. So trusting him wasn't difficult. He showed that he deserves that tonight," Cariaso said.
The FiberXers will now have to wait for the results of the remaining elims games to determine whether they will play No. 1 seed San Miguel Beer or No. 2 seed and defending champion TNT in a twice-to-win predicament. (DD)
Sponsored content:
