For the second straight Christmas, RJ Abarrientos erupted to keep Barangay Ginebra alive in the 2025-26 PBA Philippine Cup playoffs. He tallied a career-high 35 points, mostly in the second half, during a 105-85 victory over Converge at the Mall of Asia Arena on December 25. The win forces a do-or-die matchup on December 28.
On December 25, 2025, at the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Barangay Ginebra preserved their hopes in the 2025-26 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals with a 105-85 victory over the Converge FiberXers. Sophomore guard RJ Abarrientos posted a career-high 35 points, including 30 in the second half, along with 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals. He shot efficiently at 12-of-18 from the field and 6-of-8 from three-point range.
Abarrientos managed only 5 points in the first half, but he ignited in the third quarter with 11 points, capped by a three-pointer that gave Ginebra a 70-64 lead. In the fourth, he erupted for 19 points on four three-pointers, while Converge managed just 21 points in the period.
"I want to say it’s the RJ show. He had a tremendous second half," said head coach Tim Cone. He added, "He’s got that capability... He can get going almost Steph Curry-like." The performance echoed Abarrientos' Christmas heroics in 2024, when he helped Ginebra overcome a 22-point deficit for a 95-92 win over Magnolia.
Scottie Thompson contributed a triple-double with 13 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals, while Japeth Aguilar added 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks. For Converge, Justine Baltazar led with 19 points and 13 rebounds in defeat. It marked Converge's first twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, but they failed to seal it.
The decisive do-or-die game is scheduled for December 28 at the same venue, with a semifinal berth on the line.
