Daven Tamayo

PBA: Converge escapes import-less NLEX in thriller before break

Article (news)

John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1786707830512PBA Image13 (1).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Convege&#x27;s Juan Gomez de Liaño. <em>PBA Images</em></span></span></span>MANILA — Converge held on and found a way to escape import-less NLEX, 112-110, in a thrilling finish during their PBA Season 50 Governors&#x27; Cup encounter on Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.</div><p>Juan Gomez de Liaño&#x27;s clutch free throws proved to be crucial, completing his two trips to the foul line down the stretch to install enough breathing to slip past the squad that misses its reinforcement, DeQuan Jones, due to a gruesome injury.</p><p>The University of the Philippines product calmy sank two freebies off a duty foul for a 112-106 lead, just before an Ljay Gonzales four-pointer that saw NLEX close within two, 112-110.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/8/12/pba-young-nlex-guard-gonzales-a-star-in-the-making-says-alapag-1609"><strong>READ: PBA: Young NLEX guard Gonzales a ‘star in the making,’ says Alapag<br/></strong></a></div><p>Gonzales, who was fouled by Abueva during the attempt, headed to the 15-foot line for an extra, but his intentional miss was rebounded by Cameron Clark to finally secure Converge&#x27;s fifth win.</p><p>But before that sequence, when NLEX was only down 110-106, Robert Bolick almost tied the game with a four-pointer, but he was fouled by Justine Baltazar before his shot, 10.6 ticks on the clock.</p><p>It was again Gomez de Liaño who made that gap possible, sinking his first pair of clutch free throws prior for a slim four-point 110-106 lead with 13.2 seconds left.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2026/8/12/pba-heartbroken-alapag-says-jones-value-goes-beyond-numbers-1611"><strong>READ: PBA: ‘Heartbroken’ Alapag says Jones’ value goes beyond numbers<br/></strong></a></div><p>Clark was spectacular overall, pouncing on the opportunity that NLEX had no reinforcement, firing 37 points and had gathered 12 rebounds as well as three blocks.</p><p>Gomez de Liaño finished with 19 points and managed the floor well with eight assists, while Justin Arana had 19 markers as well, 13 in the last frame.</p><p>With this, the FiberXers head to the break with a win, while dealing the Road Warriors&#x27; just their second tournament loss under coach Jimmy Alapag.</p><p>Gonzales paced the all-Filipino losing side with 23 points, Bolick had 19 markers, six rebounds, and six assists, Schonny Winston had 17 points, and JB Bahio had an impressive double-double of 16-and-12.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>The Scores:</strong></div><p><strong>CONVERGE 112 –</strong> Clark 37, Arana 19, Gomez de Liano 19, Baltazar 11, Abueva 6, Garcia 5, Williams 4, Stockton 3, Tungcab 3, Policarpio 3, Concepcion 2</p><p><strong>NLEX 110 – </strong>Gonzales 23, Bolick 19, Winston 17, Bahio 16, Semerad 9, Ramirez 8, Capulong 5, Valdez 5, Gamboa 4, Racal 2, Alas 2, Rodger 0, Fajardo 0, Torres 0, Nelle 0</p><p><strong>QUARTERS:</strong> 22-30, 51-51, 74-79, 112-110</p>

<p>Converge held on and found a way to escape import-less NLEX, 112-110, in a thrilling finish during their PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup encounter on Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.</p>

Converge held on and found a way to escape import-less NLEX, 112-110, in a thrilling finish during their PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup encounter on Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.