Brian Hopson’s clutch four-point play with just 3.6 seconds remaining lifted the Converge Fiber Xers to a thrilling 96-95 victory over the TNT Tropang Giga on Tuesday night in the 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 6’9” Hopson delivered a stellar performance, finishing with 28 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, helping the Fiber Xers secure their second win in three games.
Hopson’s game-winning shot marked his second four-point play of the night, capping off a remarkable comeback by the Fiber Xers, who erased a 16-point deficit.
“Coming into this game after a loss, we focused on playing together, playing hard, and maintaining that effort,” said Fiber Xers coach Franco Atienza.
With identical 2-1 records, both the Tropang Giga and Fiber Xers now sit atop Group A.
Hopson scored 10 of his points in the final period, helping the Fiber Xers overcome a 64-70 deficit at the end of the third quarter.
Veteran guard Alex Cabagnot tied the game at 91-all with a jumper in the final 39.2 seconds.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Tropang Giga with 32 points, including nine in the fourth quarter, and his two free throws with 9.6 seconds left appeared to seal the win for TNT at 95-92.
However, Hopson’s heroics, along with solid contributions from Deschon Winston and Justin Arana, who each added seven points, propelled the Fiber Xers to victory. The team will next face Northport Batang Pier on Thursday.
