Pineda now calls shots for Converge

Finally, Pampanga Vice Governor Dennis Pineda will be serving as head coach of Converge in the coming 50th season of the Philippine Basketball Association.

The FiberXers made the announcement, saying that the longtime executive will be making his coaching debut after replacing Franco Atienza, who steered the squad to three quarterfinal exits in the previous season.

Pineda may be a local executive, but he is no spring chicken when it comes to basketball. In fact, he won titles for Pampanga in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League and Pilipinas Super League and even served as Converge executive when it bought the franchise of Alaska in 2022.

More than that, he is considered as the godfather of countless PBA stars from Pampanga like Calvin Abueva, Ian Sangalang and Arwind Santos.

Pineda is not the first elected public official to call the shots in the PBA.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao also juggled coaching and administrative duties in Pampanga when he was the vice governor from 2004 to 2013.

Pineda will be aided by former PBA stars Willie Miller and Danny Ildefonso, University of the East juniors mentor Karl Santos and Atienza with Jacob Lao, son of businessman Frank Lao, returning as team manager and Lauren Uy, the daughter of team owner Dennis Uy, serving as assistant team manager.

“Yes,” the elder Lao said when asked for confirmation about Pineda’s appointment.

Sideliners claimed that Serbian Rajko Toroman will also be part of the coaching staff due to his ties with College of Saint Benilde, the school that is being supported by the elder Lao.

CK Kanapi, on the other hand, will still be part of the organization as he handles the team’s day-to-day operation.

Meanwhile, Archen Cayabyab will retain his post as team governor while Atty. Redentor Sac will serve as alternate governor.

A Certified Public Accountant from San Beda University, it will be Sac’s first foray in an executive role in the country’s top professional basketball league. He worked at the Public Attorney’s Office in Aparri before starting his own law firm in 2010.

Pineda definitely hit the ground running.

With the second overall pick, he drafted Juan Gomez de Liano in the Annual Rookie Draft last night, boosting an already-stacked roster featuring Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana down low with Schonny Winston and Alex Stockton in the backcourt.

They will be backed by defensive stalwarts Kevin Racal, Bryan Santos and King Caralipio while their negotiation for the return of former Most Valuable Player Mikey Williams is still ongoing.