MANILA – Stephen Holt drilled a game-winning triple at the buzzer as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings pulled off a come-from-behind 99-98 win over Converge FiberXers in the winner-take-all quarterfinals of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Down 96-98 following a split free throw by FiberXers’ Justine Baltazar, Holt converted the go-ahead trifecta from the top of the key off a pass by Rhon Jay Abarrientos to secure the win.
Holt finished the game with nine points, including two three-pointers, to go with eight rebounds, four assists, and a steal as the Gin Kings erased the FiberXers’ twice-to-beat incentive to reach the semis.
“It felt miraculous,” Gin Kings head coach Tim Cone remarked about Holt’s winning shot in a post-game interview.
Abarrientos top-scored for the Gin Kings with 20 points, Jayson David and Earl Scottie Thompson added 13 markers apiece, while Jeth Troy Rosario and Japeth Aguilar had 12 and 10 markers, respectively.
Juan Gomez de Liaño appeared to have carried Converge to victory not once but twice, completing a crucial three-point play late in regulation before drilling a four-pointer with 1:38 remaining in overtime to give the FiberXers a 95-89 lead.
Still, it was not enough to push the fourth-seeded Converge to its first-ever PBA semifinals appearance, as Ginebra found a way to pulled off an endgame run, capped by the triple of Holt.
Gomez de Liaño led the FiberXers with 25 points, Archie Concepcion added 18 markers, while Justin Arana, Baltazar, and King Caralipio contributed 15, 13, and 11 markers, respectively.
The Kings thus book a best-of-seven semifinal showdown against top seed and defending champions San Miguel Beermen./PN
BOX SCORE:
GINEBRA 99 – Abarrientos 20, David 13, Thompson 13, Rosario 12, J. Aguilar 10, Holt 9, Gray 9, Torres 8, Cu 4, Estil 1, Pinto 0.
CONVERGE 98 – Gomez de Liano 25, Concepcion 18, Arana 15, Baltazar 13, Caralipio 11, Stockton 8, Winston 6, Racal 2, Garcia 0, Muyang 0, Manuel 0, Delos Santos 0, Eguilos 0.
Quarterscores: 19-21, 39-40, 68-60, 86-86, 99-98.
