The New World Order

Photo: PampangaNewsNow

The Converge FiberXers have officially put the PBA on notice.

It took a few seasons to get to where they are now — from the time they took over the Alaska Aces/Milkmen franchise and seemingly struggled despite having a formidable collegiate champion coach in Aldin Ayo at the helm. Back then, they looked like an expansion team trying to stay afloat, forced to let go of established holdovers and “settling” for either losing those players for less (Jeron Teng) or, worse, for nothing at all (Maverick Ahanmisi).

Little did we know — or perhaps, as fate would have it — they simply needed time and flexibility to make the right moves. Enter names like Jacob Lao (who quietly exited but is now back), Charles Tiu, Rajko Toroman, and of course, the big boss — the El Patrón of Pampanga basketball — Pampanga Vice Governor Delta Pineda, who went from being a consultant/assistant to now a full-time head coach.

With Delta at the helm, major moves followed. They had to let go of Jordan Heading, whom they acquired for next to nothing, in exchange for TNT’s Mikey Williams. It didn’t work out as they’d hoped — Williams has yet to sign — but the move probably allowed them to save enough money to sign more of Delta’s type of players. They also managed to trade up for the 2025 Draft’s second overall pick, Juan Gomez de Liaño, who, a few games in, already looks like the missing “alpha” for their promising core of Justin Arana, Justine Baltazar, Schonny Winston, and Alec Stockton.

And when we say “Delta’s type of players,” we’re talking about the hungry young names from his Delta stable — those he coached with the MPBL’s Pampanga Giant Lanterns — already battle-tested and some even champion-bred from the last MPBL season.

Suddenly, the fanbase is back and thriving. Some hardcore supporters are being rewarded for their patience and passion. And suddenly, there’s another big dog in the yard. Not just the mighty SMC or MVP houses, or the constantly rebuilding hit-or-miss Rain or Shine. Here’s an actual independent team — with no affiliations or need for SMC or MVP money to stay afloat — that can play at par. At least, from what we’ve seen so far.

Money? They can shell out just as much. Coaches? They arguably have the best in the land not named Cone, Baldwin, or Reyes — with Toroman supporting Delta. And just for good measure, they also have Serbian youth coach Djordje Jovicic helping out. You can bet Delta’s putting both to work in helping him refine his Xs and Os.

After all, the man can only wear so many hats.

So what does this mean for Converge?

They’ve built a young enough superstar core — and have the resources to keep them together — to compete with the league’s best. They have great size up front with the brutish Arana, who commands double teams with his low-post forays. Baltazar is another headache — taller, slimmer, but more mobile and a willing shot blocker. He balances out Arana’s limitations on both ends of the court. And because he knows Arana will almost always occupy the paint, Baltazar is free to roam, set screens, shoot, and use his length to full effect.

The guards — Winston, Stockton, and JGDL — are almost identical in how they can get up and down the floor, shoot, and drive to the rim. The difference in strength shows with JGDL, who looks like a power forward with his build, while Winston and Stockton are the more fluid slashers. When it comes to basketball IQ, JGDL and Stockton are arguably two of the best young guards out there, with the game to back it up. Winston relies more on athleticism than IQ, but that’s an easy fix when playing alongside the other two.

I honestly think a championship parade is on the horizon. Maybe not yet, but they’ll be crashing the Finals soon enough. And I hope this marks the start of a new world order in the PBA — with a hungry, young team making waves and challenging the status quo.

Here’s to hoping they deliver. After all, this was one of the reasons Alaska’s Wilfred Uytengsu reportedly sold the team to Converge and the people involved: to create a new bully to face the other bullies.

Let’s see who’s top dog — if Delta is indeed the new Alpha.