By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Converge FiberXers kicked off its PBA off-season moves with a bang after acquiring Gilas Pilipinas shooting guard Jordan Heading in a deal with the Terrafirma Dyip.
Drafted by Terrafirma as a special lottery pick, Heading is yet to make his PBA debut after rendering his services to multiple overseas clubs in Taiwan and Japan.
The massive negotiation finally reached approval when the FiberXers added Aljun Melecio, Keith Zaldivar, and their future 51st first-round pick to Terrafirma.
With the latest development in the Converge roster, the independent franchise now boasts a stacked lineup spearheaded by Justine Baltazar, Schonny Winston, Alec Stockton, Justin Arana, and Heading.
Despite not playing in any PBA-sanctioned games, Heading is already well-known in the country due to his service to the Gilas Pilipinas men’s national basketball team.
The leftie shooter first blossomed under the tutelage of former chief tactician Tab Baldwin and was a member of the young Gilas team that shocked the world during the 2021 edition of FIBA.
It took Heading four years to make his PBA debut after participating in the 2020 Rookie Draft. However, his pending stint with the Taichung Suns in Taiwan prevented him from playing as per league rules.
Now that Heading is on board, the FiberXers are looking to avenge their past season’s defeat in the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
After missing a semifinal seat when they got eliminated by the mighty San Miguel Beermen in five games during the quarterfinals, the FiberXers knew they were in to compete and seek to change the stagnant playoff scenery in the country’s premier pro hoops league.
In the past 10 years, it has been the San Miguel Corporation (SMC) and Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) backed franchises that took turns qualifying for the grand finals.
Joining Converge in the list of the independent franchises that made consecutive post-season playoff appearances is the Yeng Guiao-mentored Rain or Shine Elastopainters.
