PBA: Juan Gomez de Liaño unloads another triple-double to carry Converge past Terrafirma

Juan Gomez de Liaño flaunted his all-around game anew to power Converge to a 125-108 win against an inspired Terrafirma in the PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. 

The rookie guard dropped 17 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds as the FiberXers bounced back from a previous loss to TNT and improved to 2-1 while the Dyip, who were coming off a morale-boosting win over NLEX, dropped to 1-2. 

This is the second time in three games that Gomez de Liaño poured a triple-double performance after unloading the same feat in his PBA debut last October 12, erupting for 15 markers, 11 assists, and 10 boards in their 129-92 victory over Titan to open their All-Filipino campaign. 

A Pao Javillonar layup sent Converge to its biggest lead with a 94-70 lead late in the third period, but Terrafirma fought back and even pulled to within a solitary point when Jerrick Ahanmisi completed a layup with 4:35 left in the fourth, 110-111. 

Gomez de Liaño starred in their endgame composure, dishing two straight assists that led to a pair of baskets from Alec Stockton and MJ Garcia before back-to-back free throws from him made it a 117-103 cushion. 

Stockton top-scored with 22 points together with three rebounds, five assists, four steals, and one block while the frontcourt tandem of Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar posted double-doubles with the former dropping 13 markers and 12 boards and the latter posting 12 points and 11 rebounds. 

Newly-traded Maverick Ahanmisi has yet to make his Terrafirma debut as his younger brother Jerrick led in the loss with 16 points, two rebounds, four assists, and two steals while Louie Sangalang chipped in 15 markers and four boards. 

Scores:

Converge 125 – Stockton 22, Gomez de Liano 17, Garcia 15, Winston 14, Arana 13, Baltazar 12, Clemente 10, Muyang 10, Javillonar 6, Concepcion3, Racal 3, Delos Santos 0, Suerte 0, Santos 0.

Terrafirma 108 – Ahanmisi 16, Sangalang 15, Bravo 13, Hanapi 10, Nonoy 10, Hernandez 10, Mariano 8, Paraiso7, Rivero 6, Zaldivar 4, Catapusan 4, Olivario 0, Garcia 0.

Quarters: 29-30, 59-51, 96-76, 125-108.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News