Games today:
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5:15 p.m. — Titan Ultra vs Terrafirma
7:30 p.m. — Macau Black Knights vs Converge
Converge left no stone unturned during the offseason when it got busy bringing in key pieces ahead of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.
Whether the FiberXers’ dealings and acquisitions during the season break will produce instant dividends will be known today when they take on the guest team, the Macau Black Knights, in the mid-season tournament opener at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
All eyes will be on Converge as it welcomes the return of controversial guard Mikey Williams after a three-year league hiatus in a baptism of fire against the Black Knights at 7:30 p.m. following the collision between Titan Ultra and Terrafirma at 5:15 p.m.
Williams, a two-time PBA Finals Most Valuable Player and champion, was traded to the FiberXers by defending champion TNT in June last year for Jordan Heading.
The 34-year-old Filipino-American helped the Tropang 5G win the 2023 Governors’ Cup title but got embroiled in a contract row with the franchise.
Williams and other earlier key acquisitions in Calvin Abueva, James Kwekuteye, Jonnel Policarpio and Kurt Reyson along with seven-foot import Kylor Kelley, teaming up with twin towers Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana, scorer Alec Stockton and top rookie Juan Gomez de Liaño have made the Delta Pineda-coached FiberXers one of the teams to beat on paper.
Arana, however, downplayed Converge’s stacked roster.
“They say we have an intact and a very strong lineup. We know expectations are high. But we’re treating this conference, one game at a time. We can’t rush it,” said Arana, who along with Abueva, Baltazar, Gomez de Liaño and Stockton participated in the PBA All-Star in Candon, Ilocos Sur.
“We can’t say we’re strong. We all know the ball is round, you can never predict who will win. We still lack chemistry because there are a lot of new players who came in. But we’ll work on our chemistry.”
On the other hand, the Black Knights, formerly known as Black Bears, will have 6-foot-7 Tony Mitchell as reinforcement in their first action in Asia’s first play-for-pay cage league.
Seven-footer Sam Deguara, who was supposed to play as an alternate import, was scratched from the team’s official roster after reportedly signing up with Yankey Ark in the Taiwanese P.League+.
In the first game, the Dyip hope to improve from a 1-10 record last conference under a drastically revamped coaching staff headed by Ronald Tubid.
“We’re still in the process but the players have already adjusted with our system,” Tubid said.
“Hopefully, we’ll be steadier this time, especially in the endgame, to hit our immediate target of more than one win.”
Terrafirma will be parading Geo Chiu, the top overall pick in the last Rookie Draft, as well as Ben Adamos, acquired from Barangay Ginebra in exchange for Kenmark Carino. Veteran internationalist 7-footer Mubashar Ali will reinforce the Dyip.
Six-foot-10 Michael Gilmore will be the import of the Giant Risers, now under new head coach Rensy Bajar.
Veterans Joshua Munzon, Von Pessumal and Cade Flores along with CJ Austria, Mark Sangco and Bryan Sajonia banner Titan Ultra.
King Caralipio and Mark Omega will also suit up for the Giant Risers after getting traded by Converge for Abueva. Rey Suerte is also included in the trade but was waived.