By TITO S. TALAO
The PBA’s suspense theater raised its curtains last Wednesday. It reached fever pitch between the third and fourth quarters of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup game between Converge and guest team Macau Black Knights at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
At first, hardly anyone put two and two together. Then it suddenly exploded.
When Archen Cayabyab, team governor of the Converge FiberXers, rose from his seat behind the baseline railing and walked over to the bench – heading straight to Mikey Williams as the team huddled – there was no commotion from the crowd.
But when he made the short trip a second time and Williams, still wearing his sweatshirt, picked up a ball and took a couple of practice shots, applause suddenly broke out around the arena as opening-day spectators realized what was about to happen.
The roar grew louder when the former PBA first-round draft pick peeled off his sweats and reported to the officials’ table to check in. From across the floor, Converge head coach Dennis “Delta” Pineda could be seen giving his new player some last-minute instructions. Then he turned him loose.
Williams, drafted fourth overall by TNT Tropang Giga in 2020 and the rights to him acquired by Converge via a trade in June last year, was scoreless the entire 12 minutes he played in the final quarter, missing two three-point shots and one four-point heave. But while his offense was clearly still off, he showcased the gift only a talented point guard can deliver — the ability to set up teammates for scoring opportunities.
Twice he found 7-foot import Kylor Kelley for baskets up close — first to break a 92-all tie with 4:18 left in the game, and again to give Converge a 98-92 cushion with 3:05 remaining. The FiberXers kept the Black Knights at bay the rest of the way for a satisfying 104-92 victory.
Later, in the press room during the postgame interview, Coach Delta said Williams’ entry – delayed for three quarters as Converge waited for the green light from FIBA – changed the complexion of the game.
“Nag-iba yung momentum ng offense namin when Mikey became the point. Nai-set niya lahat,” Pineda said.
That should only fuel the growing expectations of PBA fans, not just of Converge diehards. Mikey Williams at starting point guard and Juan Gomez de Liaño coming off the bench – or Williams sliding to the No. 2 spot with Gomez de Liaño as chief playmaker – would make for a dynamic duo and a nightmarish matchup for opposing backcourts.
That’s just one scene in the unfolding PBA suspense theater.
Last Friday, also at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium – two days after Williams’ reawakening from a five-year hiatus – Phoenix Super LPG, with a new coach and a new attitude, paraded a charismatic, dynamo of an import in James Dickey (20 points, 26 rebounds) as the Fuel Masters stunned Magnolia 101-98 in a game decided only in the defiant dying seconds. Others are expected to follow, led by the TNT Tropang 5G’s 7-foot-3 Bol Manute Bol.
This sets up the next scene beautifully: How will Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Justin Brownlee – the benchmark for imports in the past decade – deal with the incoming influx of PBA reinforcements, all looking to knock the 37-year-old monarch off his throne?
Or, more appropriately perhaps, how will they stand their ground against the assault of arguably the greatest that ever set foot on the PBA floors?
Lastly, with San Miguel Beer having won the first conference, the Philippine Cup, the Beermen now find themselves in place to capture the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
The bullseye on their backs has never been bigger though, with the rest of the league – most notably a vengeful TNT squad that was denied a Grand Slam in the inverted 2024–25 season – eager to turn the Commissioner’s Cup into a graveyard of champions and strike an early blow against SMB’s ambition of securing a second Grand Slam after its historic 1989 feat.
The drama shifts to high gear from here as other major characters come into play, all aching to get their share of the spotlight. A full pack theater audience seems assured.
