FROM a seventh-place league debut now hoping to go some notches higher, Converge starts its campaign versus Terrafirma in Day 2 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Philsports Arena in Pasig Friday.
The FiberXers and the Dyip clash at 3 p.m. marking the league's return to one of its favorite playing venues in the past -- the very scene of glorious wars in the 80s.
Converge begins its journey under new coach Aldin Ayo, hoping to be in the thick of the fight for the Top Four with the help of import Quincy Miller, the 38th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft.
Ayo is reconnected with some of his key stalwarts in his championship runs with the Letran Knights in the NCAA and with the La Salle Green Archers in the UAAP, and they kick off their drive in the pros versus the Terrafirma side banking on balik-PBA import Lester Prosper.
The FiberXers didn't do badly in their initial PBA foray, making the playoffs and finishing seventh with five wins against seven losses in the recent all-Filipino under coach Jeffrey Cariaso.
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But the team management wants more, and they pursue a bigger goal with a different playing strategy to be run by their new coach.
And they're happy with what they're seeing at least in their training.
"I think our team is young. The question is how to compete with these traditional teams, and I figured kailangan namin fast team," said team owner Dennis Anthony Uy.
"Sabi ko mas maganda yung galing sa collegiate, medyo agresibo mag-train ng mga bata, different and not the traditional way. That's the strategy that came to mind. We decided to find the suitable coach, at finally nahanap namin si Ayo," Uy added.
Meanwhile, Terrafirma is sticking with its old think tank and old guns, hoping the chemistry built up over time will produce good results now.
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The Dyip have no way to go but up, coming from a winless showing in the Philippine Cup. (SB)
