As the PBA Commissioner’s Cup unfolds later today, one team—the Converge FiberXers—will be looked at as among the favorites to win it all because of their roster upgrades. Star center Justin Arana, though, is taking a cautious, deliberate approach, knowing fully well the FiberXers have some adjusting to do.
“We’ll just treat the conference one game at a time. Hindi namin puwedeng madaliin ito and sabihin na malakas na kami. Kasi bilog ang bola,” said Arana of the rejigged FiberXers.
After falling a win short of clinching the franchise’s first-ever semifinals seat in the PBA Philippine Cup, Converge seemingly went all in. They traded for Calvin Abueva for next to nothing, acquired Jonnel Policarpio and Kurt Reyson in a three-team swap, got James Kwekuteye in another deal, and finally agreeing to terms with former PBA Finals MVP Mikey Williams.
Converge Still Searching for Chemistry, Justin Arana Admits
Now, Converge is arguably the most loaded team in the PBA lineup-wise—maybe even better than the San Miguel Beermen and TNT Tropang 5G. Even so, Justin Arana knows there’s still one thing missing with the FiberXers at this point: chemistry.
“Lack of chemistry pa kami kasi marami pang bago, marami pang kararating lang,” Arana acknowledged over the weekend as he joined fellow FiberXers Abueva, Juan Gomez de Liaño, Alec Stockton, and Justine Baltazar in the PBA All-Star Game.
No wonder then that Justin Arana and the FiberXers are taking things one day at a time as they’ll need to integrate into the system two superstars in Williams and Abueva, a rising star in Policarpio, and a potential firestarter in Reyson.
This souped-up Converge gets its first big test right in its maiden game in the midseason tourney as it takes on guest team Macau Black Knights. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
