In only his first PBA game, Juan Gomez de Liaño wasted no time making a mark for the Converge FiberXers.
The 2025 PBA draft No. 2 overall pick became the first-ever player to record a triple-double in his league debut as the FiberXers made quick work of the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 129-92, at the Ynares Center Montalban in Rodriguez, Rizal, on Saturday, October 11.
The former UP Fighting Maroons star Gomez de Liaño — who also had stops in the Japan B. League and the Korean Basketball League before applying for the Season 50 draft — tallied an all-around line of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists as Converge opened the Philippine Cup on a sizzling note.
Like Gomez de Liaño, Converge big man Justin Arana had a season-opener to remember as he posted a monster double-double of 28 points and 22 rebounds on an efficient 12-of-17 field goal clip.
Schonny Winston (16 points), Justine Baltazar (15 points), Alec Stockton (13 points), and Kevin Racal (12 points) also breached the double-digit scoring territory for the FiberXers, who gifted their new head coach and Pampanga Governor Dennis “Delta” Pineda a victory in his first game as a PBA coach.
“Towards late in the game, I was informed that I needed like a couple more rebounds and assists, so I asked the coaches if I could just play the game, and I’m glad they allowed me,” said Gomez de Liaño of his historic triple-double.
“It’s not a bad way to start my PBA career, especially [Governor Delta Pineda’s] first win as a head coach,” he added.
After erupting for a career-high 41 points in Titan Ultra’s debut, Calvin Abueva finished with just 2 points this time around as he only played a total of 4 minutes and 47 seconds before sitting out the rest of the match due to a hamstring injury.
Joshua Munzon was the lone double-digit scorer for the Giant Risers — who dropped to 1-1 — with a game-high 31 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
Meanwhile, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters also kicked off their Philippine Cup campaign in style following a thrilling 96-95 overtime escape of the Meralco Bolts.
Caelen Tiongson was on a mission for the Elasto Painters as he put up a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds in the hard-earned win.
On the other side, Bong Quinto paced the Bolts in the sorry loss with his own double-double of 18 markers and 10 boards as they fell to a 0-2 card.
