MANILA, Philippines. — Alec Stockton sparked Converge’s game-changing third quarter comeback as the FiberXers turned back an injury-plagued Barangay Ginebra Kings, 98-91 in their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup road game on Saturday at the Batangas City Stadium.
Stockton fired 17 of his team-high 22 points, helping Converge outscore Ginebra, 33-13 in a crucial third quarter that enabled the young franchise to overhaul a 17-point halftime deficit.
The speedy guard out of Far Eastern University played like a man possessed during that stretch that saw the Filipino-American guard also bury three triples.
Late in the game, after the Gin Kings cut the FiberXers’ nine-point lead to just, 91-95, Stockton managed to find big man Justin Arana, who scored on a reverse layup.
Moments later, Stockton made 1-of-2 from the foul line, while Maverick Ahanmisi’s turnover on the other end sealed Ginebra’s doom and adding another achievement to the young PBA franchise.
Stockton went on to add six rebounds and eight assists for the FiberXers, who won their third straight to pull into a tie with Eastern at joint second spot in the standings with their 5-2 record.
Cheick Diallo had 19 points and 18 rebounds, Schonny Winston 15, Jordan Heading added 13, four and six assists, while Arana chipped in 11 and seven boards.
Ginebra dropped to 3-2 overall after losing for the second time in its last three outings.
Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 39 points, but shot just 15-of-34 overall as he tried to carry the scoring load for his badly undermanned squad.
The Gin Kings played without top slotman Japeth Aguilar, who is out with a groin injury, while Stephen Holt managed to play through a knee injury.
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