Never-say-die Ginebra strikes again, noses out Converge to reach Final 4

Sports

THEIR no-quit spirit in full display again, the Barangay Ginebra Kings pulled off an improbable win to barge into the semifinal round of the 50th PBA Philippine Cup.

Stephen Holt hit a three-pointer at the buzzer and the Kings repulsed the Converge FiberXers, 99-98, to set up a semifinal showdown with sister-team San Miguel Beermen on Sunday night, Dec. 28, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra teetered on the brink of defeat but still found a way to survive despite the fouling out of key players Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar.

Converge even had the chance to win it in regulation when it took a three-point lead in the dying seconds but Alec Stockton committed a terrible mistake when he fouled Jeremiah Gray while the Ginebra guard was shooting a three-pointer with 3.4 seconds left.

Gray coolly made the three freebies that forced overtime.

The FiberXers still looked good in the overtime period as Juan Gomez De Liano sank a booming four-ball that gave them a six-point lead, 95-89, in the final 1:39.

RJ Abarrientos and Troy Rosario each dropped a triple that kept Ginebra in it.

With Converge holding on to a 97-96, Balti Baltazar could only convert one of his two free throws with eight seconds left, setting the stage for Holt’s game-winning, buzzer-beating three-pointer.

THE SCORES:

GINEBRA (99) – Abarrientos 20, David 13, Thompson 13, Rosario 12, J. Aguilar 10, Gray 9, Holt 9, Torres 8, Cu 4, Estil 1.

CONVERGE (98) – Gomez de Liaño 25, Concepcion 18, Arana 15, Baltazar 13, Caralipio 11, Stockton 8, Winston 6, Racal 2, Garcia 0, Muyang 0, Manuel 0, Delos Santos 0, Eguilos 0.QUARTERSCORES: 19-21, 39-40, 68-60, 86-86 (reg.), 99-98 (OT).(CCM)