MANILA, Philippines – Converge marches on to the quarterfinals in just the FiberXers’ first PBA conference thanks in large part to rookie big man Justin Arana.

Arana delivered the big plays as Converge wrapped up the elimination round of the PBA Philippine Cup with a gutsy 92-90 win over Blackwater on Wednesday, July 20.

Showing poise beyond his years, the No. 4 pick scored 9 of his 13 points in the fourth quarter, including a pair of clutch buckets that allowed the FiberXers to finish with a 5-6 record for a seat in the playoffs.

“I played poor at the start so I wanted to make up for it,” Arana said in Filipino. “I wanted to redeem myself because I felt sorry for my coaches.”

Eager to repay the trust of the coaching staff, Arana rose to the occasion as he scored or assisted in all of their last 10 points in the final 3:30 minutes.

But none proved bigger than his layup that leveled the score at 90-90 and his one-handed shot with 10 ticks left that put Converge ahead until the final buzzer.

Prior to his game-winner, Arana also came through on the defensive end with a block on JVee Casio, which prevented the Bossing from taking the lead.

“I’m thankful to my coaches and teammates. No matter how bad I played at the start, they still stuck with me,” Arana said.

“They trusted me and did not to leave me.”

Arana has been a steady presence as he averages 8.4 points, 8 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1 block.

But more will be expected from the Arellano standout as the FiberXers gear up for the playoffs, where they will likely face a twice-to-beat disadvantage.

“As a rookie, the trust of my coaches is a confidence boost. You have to know your role as a rookie,” said Arana. “But I’m thankful that they already trust me that much even if I’m still a rookie.” – Rappler.com