The never-say-die attitude -- plus a timely dose of luck -- lifted Barangay Ginebra as they overturned a twice-to-win disadvantage with a gut-wrenching 99-98 overtime escape over Converge FiberXers, booking a spot in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The thriller was packed with turning points: Alec Stockton's costly foul on Jeremiah Gray's three-point attempt to send the game to extra time, Scottie Thompson fouling out late in regulation, Japeth Aguilar also exiting in overtime, and a string of miscues that sent RJ Abarrientos to the line via Stockton and MJ Garcia -- before Stephen Holt capped the chaos with the Gin Kings' decisive go-ahead triple.
Beyond all the breaks of the game, it was an intriguing tactical battle that set the stage for the epic clash for the right to play defending champion San Miguel Beermen.
It was clear early that Converge wanted to maximize its size advantage through its twin towers.
Justin Arana played with purpose and physicality, consistently carving space in the shaded area and punishing switches on the block, while Justine Baltazar controlled the glass to extend possessions and tilt the game toward a half-court, inside-out battle that favored the FiberXers.
That approach translated directly to production.
Converge more than doubled Ginebra in points in the paint, 48-22, and owned the second-chance battle, 18-4, allowing them to stay afloat even during stretches when perimeter shots were not falling. Arana delivered a steady 15 points and 13 rebounds, while Baltazar anchored the interior with 13 points and a dominant 20-rebound performance that repeatedly denied Ginebra clean defensive stops.
Another box Converge checked was getting meaningful contributions beyond its usual starters.
Surprise starter King Caralipio made his presence felt on both ends, using his activity to hound Thompson defensively while also capitalizing on open looks created when Ginebra sent two to the ball, finishing with 11 points and six rebounds. Archie Concepcion's timely 11-point second-half burst further stabilized the FiberXers, especially with Schonny Winston struggling to find rhythm throughout the game.
After a quiet Game 1 and an uneven first half of Game 2, Juan Gómez de Liaño provided the late-game scoring punch Converge badly needed. He erupted in the fourth quarter and overtime, scoring 17 of his 25 points by relentlessly attacking closeouts and finding seams off the dribble when his jumper refused to cooperate.
His converted four-point play in overtime felt like a momentum-shifting blow, pushing Converge ahead 95-89 with 1:39 left and putting Ginebra on the brink.
Yet even with Converge checking nearly every tactical box, Ginebra leaned on a familiar blueprint that has sustained them in tight playoff games. The Gin Kings stayed composed, trusted their depth, and relied on timely execution rather than sustained dominance to keep themselves within striking distance.
In the first half, it was once again Ginebra's bench that injected life into their offense and pushed the ball in transition. Jayson David scored eight of his 13 points early, punishing Converge's aggressive coverage on RJ Abarrientos' ball screens and preventing the FiberXers from fully dictating the pace.
When the third quarter opened, Thompson shifted gears and attacked downhill, using his strength and instincts to collapse the defense and create scoring chances in the halfcourt and in early offense, as he finished with 13 points and eight assists.
But when Abarrientos was inserted back into the game, the reigning Rookie of the Year's off-ball gravity began to warp Converge's defensive matchups, forcing switches that allowed Ginebra to hunt slower, bigger defenders and generate cleaner looks.
And even as Ginebra struggled to sustain rhythm late, Abarrientos' offensive creativity kept them afloat. He consistently drew fouls, forced multiple defenders to commit, and made the right reads to locate open teammates, finishing with 20 points on an efficient 64.5 TS%, highlighted by a perfect 10-for-10 night from the free-throw line that proved vital in the game's closing moments.
With head coach Tim Cone finally giving him freedom to showcase his offensive wares, a surging Abarrientos might just be what the doctor ordered to put Ginebra in contender status once again.
On the losing end anew, Converge missed their best chance to crack their first-ever semifinal appearance since joining the league in 2022 with a wasted twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
However, this young squad should remain confident they are the top dogs in the PBA, having one of the most complete rosters for the future.
For now, the challenge will be how to make sense of having two stellar shooting guards in Stockton and Winston, continuous development of Gómez de Liaño, the experienced gained by Arana and Baltazar, and finding production from their bench to sustain an impressive elimination performance.