Converge passes test of character

Converge almost squandered a 22-point first half lead before pulling through against the tough challenge of grand slam-seeking TNT.

For acting head coach Franco Atienza, the grit shown by his young squad to weather the Tropang 5G’s third quarter storm was a testament to the FiberXers’ maturity and composure.

“For a young team like ours, it’s a big help for us playing this kind of close game. It would test our character against adversity,” he said after Converge downed TNT, 100-94, for back-to-back wins in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Sunday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

“I think we passed this one against a back-to-back champion of the Governors’ and Commissioner’s Cups,” he added as the FiberXers improved to a 3-2 win-loss record.

The FiberXers were in full control of the first half, opening a 45-23 gap against the still weary from a grueling Commissioner’s Cup championship run TNT.

But the Tropang 5G came out of their dugout after the break ready for an ambush, coming up with a 30-18 third quarter assault.

“We know Talk ‘N Text is a good team. I believe in my heart that even without (resident import) RHJ (Rondae Hollis-Jefferson), their DNA of a winning team is there,” Atienza said.

‘For a young team like ours, it’s a big help for us playing this kind of close game. It would test our character against adversity.’

“So, we went up by double digits in the first half but we know they’d come back. We talked about it during halftime that we should be ready about it because that team won’t give up easily.”

“Then it happened, they had a scoring barrage 30-18 in the third quarter and that’s not easy to recover from.”

Converge, however, did not allow their hard work in the first 24 minutes of the game to go to naught as youthful big men Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana and wings Alec Stockton and Schonny Winston hold the fort and turn back the still winless TNT.

“But it’s nice that we’re able to get through adversity. We’ve spoken about two things that we want to improve. First would be consistency, and then battling adversity,” Atienza said.

“We encountered that adversity in the third quarter. It tested us. Toe-to-toe, possession by possession we needed to make stops and score. If we could get two stops and score in between those, you’ll be able to pad (your separation). We did that towards the endgame.”

Baltazar, the top overall pick in the last Draft, had a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds as well as Arana with 22 markers and 11 boards to go with five assists.

Winston and Stockton added 19 markers each for Converge.