Converge stayed sharp in the PBA Philippine Cup, using a well-balanced offense to turn back Phoenix, 128-114, on Saturday night, October 25, at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.

The FiberXers moved up to 3-1 for a share of the lead with TNT Tropang 5G and Magnolia Hotshots. Phoenix dropped to 1-3 despite a strong showing from its key scorers.

Alec Stockton paced Converge with 22 points, while rookie Juan Gomez de Liano posted another standout game with 19 points and 12 rebounds. The win marked the team’s third in four outings under coach Delta Pineda.

FiberXers dominate from the perimeter

Converge established control early with a 31-18 first-quarter lead and never allowed Phoenix to recover. The FiberXers hit 15 of 25 three-point attempts for a blistering 60 percent clip.

Justin Arana added 17 points, Schonny Winston had 17 and seven assists, Justin Baltazar chipped in 13 points and 12 rebounds, and MJ Garcia contributed 11. Stockton anchored the offense with five triples and steady ball movement.

“We stuck to the system and we stuck with the game plan, and we got the win,” Stockton said. “We’ll double the effort and make sure we’re ready for San Miguel next.”

Phoenix’s effort falls short

Jason Perkins fired 27 points for the Fuel Masters, while Ricci Rivero added 23 and Kai Ballungay finished with 21. Rivero made seven of 13 field goals and sank eight of 11 free throws in another impressive outing.

Despite their strong showing, Phoenix struggled to contain Converge’s shooters and trailed the rest of the way. The FiberXers’ precise perimeter attack and ball movement proved too much for the Fuel Masters to handle.

The win gave Converge another boost of confidence heading into its matchup with San Miguel, one of the conference’s early favorites.