Even with top pick Justine Baltazar yet to don the purple uniform, Converge looks to contend for PBA playoffs

Hope was palpable for the beleaguered Converge when it tabbed Justine Blatazar with the first overall pick in the PBA Season 49 Rookie Draft exactly a month ago.

Unfortunately, Baltazar will not see action with the FiberXers until the end of the MPBL season with Pampanga.

To top off what has been an eventful offseason for Converge, the team also parted ways with coach Aldin Ayo weeks before the season-opening Governors’ Cup even begins.

[RELATED STORY: Justine Baltazar set to fulfill Pampanga duties in MPBL before taking his act to Converge in PBA]

Still, hope is not completely lost for the FiberXers.

For a team that hardly tasted a victory in the past season, it needed to bring in a winner to hopefully restore some order.

[RELATED: Ageless' Alex Cabagnot relishes sharing court with Gilas Pilipinas anew]

Enter Alex Cabagnot.

The nine-time PBA champion with San Miguel brings a lot of winning pedigree to a team that is aching to make a splash after a dismal season. Hopefully, the FiberXers can do so as the await their prized top pick.

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Here’s how the team looks for the upcoming season:

Holdovers:

Innad Fornilos

Bryan Andrade

Kamron Vigan-Fleming

Patric Maagdenberg

Mike Nieto

Schonny Winston

Aljun Melecio

Alec Stockton

Justin Arana

Kevin Racal

Jeo Ambohot

JL Delos Santos

Bryan Santos

King Caralipio

New guys:

Alex Cabagnot

Injured/Reserve:

Keith Zaldivar

Import:

Scotty Hopson

Outlook:

Not much is expected from a team that recently lost the coach that built it.

Interim coach Franco Atienza will have his hands full in running the Converge team that is raring to surpass its 3-22 win-loss tally last year.

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Justine Baltazar was supposed to be the upgrade the FiberXers needed, their final piece to the puzzle. But they have to wait a little longer to see that vision coming to fruition.

They can only hope that with Kevin Racal and Cabagnot’s leadership, this team can at least contend for the playoffs.

But it will also not be surprising to see Converge spring some surprises here and there.

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