Convergys inched closer to stealing the crown from defending champion Teleperformance after the Converters shocked the All-Stars, 68-62, at the start of their best-of-three championship series of the 11th City Sports Club-Cebu (CSC-C) E-League for Basketball Elite Classic last Saturday at the CSC-C Gym.
Franz Dionne Dysam, a former stalwart of the Letran Knights in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), powered the Converters to the critical win as he fired 22 points and added four rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Equally impressive for the Converters was Sherwin Resilla, who completed a double-double of 18 markers and 10 rebounds. Resilla also came up with five steals, two blocked shots and two assists.
Dysam and Resilla helped the Converters overcome a slow start.
Teleperformance maintained a 16-13 lead after the first quarter and still held a 37-33 edge going into the final half.
Convergys, which made it to the championship round by sweeping the top-seeded Lexmark Stallions in their best-of-three semifinals series, started to heat up in the third period where they outscored Teleperformance, 18-12, to take a two-point cushion, 51-49, with one quarter left to play.
With momentum on their side, the Converters never took their feet off the gas pedal en route to wrapping up the crucial win.
Karlo Rafael Miñoza, Rodulfo Enterina III and Ryan Veloso all scored in double figures, combining for 36 points in a losing effort.