Organizing and joining pocket tournaments are keeping a young team like the Converge Fiber Xers in shape for the coming 48th season of the Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup.
Members of the Fiber Xers are getting in prime shape because of their participation in off-season games as they look forward to battle set to begin on Nov. 5 at the Araneta Coliseum.
“We needed games, because we have been practicing for the past two months. So, we organized pocket tournaments to apply what we have been practicing,” said FiberXers coach Aldin Ayo.
In the Commissioner’s Cup, Converge is bringing back Tom Vodanovich, who first played for the team in the Governors’ Cup, and in their quarterfinals series with the San Miguel Beermen.
The Fiber Xers will only have four mainstays this time, and they’ll have Alec Stockton, Jeo Ambohot, Justin Arana and Kevin Racal, who were all part of the squad’s original list in the 2022 Philippine Cup.
Two marquee players have left, with Maverick Ahanmisi going to Barangay Ginebra and Jeron Teng now with the Beermen.
And with the absence of Ahanmisi and Teng, they won’t have the firepower that they needed.
But the entry of Mike Nieto and Adrian Wong in the off-season will help fill up that void.
The Fiberxers youthfulness will be seen in their recent acquisitions, like ex-La Salle cager Schonny Winston, a ninth overall pick in the recent draft.
Winston came in with Inand Fornilos, Kamron Vigan, Patrick Maagdenberg, Bryan Santos and BJ Andrade.
Recently, the FiberXers organized a four-team pocket event, with their present roster and played games with the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, Blackwater Bossing and Phoenix Super LPG.
Converge went on to sweep their games.