A dominant performance from Terrafirma’s towering reinforcement, Mubashar Ali, powered the Dyip past Converge, 111-100 in overtime, Saturday, March 14, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban. The victory marked the team’s second straight win and came against a Converge squad widely expected to control the matchup.

Carrying a heavy workload for one of the league’s youngest lineups, the seven-foot import delivered a massive stat line with 50 points and 25 rebounds. Much of the damage came after halftime and into the extra session as he took command during the decisive stretch.

Terrafirma forced overtime when the big man spun along the baseline and finished a layup that tied the contest at 100-all with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation. He then took over again in the additional period, scoring six points while helping seal a closing surge rarely associated with previous Dyip squads.

Dyip rally before import finishes job

Before their import erupted late, Terrafirma received key contributions that helped erase a nine-point deficit earlier in the game. The Dyip fought back from a 46-55 hole as the supporting cast helped stabilize the offense until their leading scorer found his rhythm.

Jerrick Ahanmisi finished with 14 points and drilled a crucial three-pointer that gave Terrafirma a 103-100 advantage in overtime. Paolo Hernandez also played a major role with 13 points while adding six assists and five rebounds.

Rookie center Geo Chiu contributed nine points and 13 rebounds despite battling foul trouble early in the contest. Maverick Ahanmisi chipped in eight points, seven rebounds, and seven assists as the Dyip followed up their previous 112-82 victory over Titan Ultra earlier in the week.

FiberXers falter in closing stretch

Converge entered the matchup hoping to build on its strong opening win but struggled to respond in the closing minutes. The FiberXers had opened their campaign with a 102-94 victory over Macau but could not maintain that momentum.

Kylor Kelley and Juan Gomez de Liano each finished with 17 points, with Kelley also collecting 22 rebounds and six assists in a strong individual effort. Several other players reached double figures, including Alec Stockton, Justine Baltazar, Jonnel Policarpio and Archie Concepcion.

However, the FiberXers faltered when the game tightened late. Mikey Williams finished with just five points after shooting 1-of-10 from the field.

Baltazar had an opportunity to win the game in regulation but missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer. His struggles continued into overtime as Converge failed to convert early possessions while Terrafirma capitalized on its momentum.

The Dyip’s import later credited his teammates for helping him push through the demanding performance despite observing Ramadan fasting earlier in the day.

“First half I was fasting, I couldn’t really breathe. I was going up and down, trying to do my best,” he said.

“But if it wasn’t for my teammates that was helping me carry the load and trusting me to just keep on performing and just keep doing what I can do to help my team. None of this would be possible without those guys,” he added.