Hotshots struggle in final quarter, lose to FiberXers

Alec Stockton and Justin Arana stepped up in a big way during the second half, leading Converge to a stunning 93-91 upset over Magnolia on Sunday, marking a critical victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Stockton exploded for 16 of his 18 points after halftime, while Arana added 14 of his 24, combining for the pivotal play that completed the FiberXers’ remarkable comeback from a staggering 20-point deficit.

After nailing a huge three-pointer to tie the game at 91, Stockton set up Arana for a wide-open layup, giving Converge a crucial 93-91 lead with just 5.6 seconds remaining.

The FiberXers cleverly managed the clock, forcing a foul and executing a tap-out, leaving the Hotshots with only 2.6 seconds to attempt a potential equalizer.

Magnolia’s Jerick Ahanmisi, however, faltered with a stepback three-point attempt, exemplifying the team’s struggle in clutch moments and sealing the win for Converge, now 2-1, as they bounced back from a previous 106-117 defeat to Hong Kong Eastern.

Kevin Racal played a vital role for Converge, contributing all 10 of his points during their comeback and offsetting Cheick Diallo’s off night, where he managed only 10 points on a 4-of-15 shooting performance, though he did collect 16 rebounds.

With this loss, Magnolia fell to a 1-1 record, largely due to their inability to maintain the momentum from their strong start, which had allowed Converge to steadily chip away at the lead.

Despite battling through a sore right shoulder sustained in the first half, Ricardo Ratliffe finished with game-highs of 25 points and 19 rebounds, while rookie Jerom Lastimosa, instrumental in propelling the Hotshots to a 53-38 halftime lead, recorded a personal best of 14 points.