By REYNALD MAGALLON
Converge isn’t only loading up on its weapons for the upcoming PBA 50th Season but also its think tank which will support newly minted head coach Dennis Delta Pineda.
That, after the concurrent Pampanga vice governor revealed that the FiberXers are welcoming back Rajko Toroman as its consultant along with another Serbian mentor Djordje Jovicic.
The two veteran coaches will join Franco Atienza, who will slide down to an assistant position to give way for Pineda, other deputies Danny Ildefonso, Willie Miller, Chico Manabat and Karl Santos.
Also back in the fold is Jacob Lao as the team manager.
“All staff nandyan pa rin iyan. Meron lang mga darating na consultant. Tulong tulong lahat walang mawawala,“ said Pineda at the sidelines of the PBA rookie draft last weekend.
Toroman is expected to arrive and join the team within the week. He will be on his second tour as a consultant for the FiberXers, having served at the same capacity back in 2023.
Jovicic, meanwhile, has been working with Pineda as part of the coaching staff of the Pampanga Giant Lantern in the MPBL as well as its juniors team.
“Tagal ko na rin kasing kasama yung dalawang iyon especially coach Rajko. Malaking bagay na maging consultant ko talaga sila. Ako naman as a coach, open naman ako sa lahat ng mga suggestion kung anong ikakaganda ng team,“ he added.
It has been a busy offseason for the FiberXers as aside from re-signing Schonny Winston to an extension, it also traded for Larry Muyang from Phoenix. It also moved up to the draft order to be in the position to pick Juan Gomez De Liano.
And according to reports, there have been ongoing efforts to also sign Mikey Williams, whose rights the FiberXers acquired in a trade where they let go Jordan Heading.
Still, the addition of Gomez de Liano and Muyang is already enough to bolster an already potent crew that featured Winston, Alec Stockton, Justine Baltazar and Justin Arana.
Asked for their goal this upcoming season, Pineda is tempering expectations.
“Praying pa rin na talagang mag (develop) itong mga bata. Hopefully, three years na rin po kami sa league so itong mga bata nagkaroon na rin ng experience nakikita na kung gaano kahirap ang PBA, I think naman itong next season nagmature na itong ibang players namin,“ said Pineda.
“Praying na sana mapunta kami ng semis para medyo sumaya naman po iyong mga fans ng Converge,“ he added.
