PBA: Buoyed by coach’s trust, Alec Stockton delivers quality numbers for Converge
Converge FiberXers Alec Stockton. — PBA IMAGES
ANTIPOLO—Known more as a role player during his collegiate career with Far Eastern University in the UAAP, Alec Stockton shone in Converge’s most recent PBA Governors’ Cup win.
In the FiberXers’ 111-109 victory over heavy favorite Magnolia on Sunday, Stockton served as a reliable bench piece for Aldin Ayo.
In the squad’s first two games in the import-enforced conference, Stockton only averaged 6.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per ballgame.
Stockton found his footing on Sunday with 18 markers, four boards and two blocks to help Converge stay unscathed at 3-0.
His performance, he said, was fueled by Ayo’s trust in him.
“For me, he’s always pushing me in terms of putting in extra work to get better at my game. [I worked on] shooting and maintenance mainly, and it came out this game,” said Stockton.
Stockton, however, commuted a blunder in the dying minutes of the game.
With 2:32 left to play, the guard contested Eric McCree’s three-point shot but affected the import’s landing spot.
He was then called for an unsportsmanlike foul, meaning he had to sit out the rest of the tight contest.
“I was frustrated that I wasn’t out there to help my team but thank God I got really good teammates that stepped up and helped us win down the stretch. Kudos to them,” Stockton said.
The physicality in the final moments of the match, however, could not be helped, said Ayo.
“I just can’t tell them to slow down. Still, we had good looks from the three-points that went in,” he said.
Stockton only sank one of his six attempts from beyond the arc, but his cohorts picked up the slack and registered a 44.4 percent shooting clip from deep. They sank 16 buckets out of 36 attempts as a squad.
Stockton, Ayo and Converge look to keep their record clean when they face Rain or Shine on Thursday at Philsports Arena.
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