HEADING FOR IMPROVEMENT

Jordan Heading (with ball) has high hopes for the FiberXers, saying it's only a matter of time before thing come together for the team. —PHOTOS BY PBA IMAGES

Jordan Heading made a good impression in his first-ever PBA game as Converge walloped a shorthanded Terrafirma squad to kick off the league’s midseason Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday at Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

While Heading feels there’s more room for growth after the FiberXers’ 116-87 victory, there’s also a sense of optimism surrounding the team—and it’s not just because of him.

It’s also in the way import Cheick Diallo performed plus the impending arrival of top overall pick Justine Baltazar.

“I think there’s a lot of excitement about this team, and I think it’s justified, especially with Balti coming in a few weeks,” Heading said after finishing with eight points, four rebounds and six assists in 24 minutes. “We’re really excited for that and I know everybody is as well.”

Baltazar is close to completing his stint in the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League, with his team Pampanga set to face Quezon in the best-of-five National Finals which starts next week in Dubai. Once he comes in, Justine Arana will get more help down low.

Justin Arana (left) will get a lot of help bulldozing opposing frontlines when top rookie pick Justin Baltazar joins the team in December.

Special draft

Diallo, the 6-foot-8 former NBA player for the New Orleans Pelicans, also gave Converge more reasons to be positive after tallying 25 points and 16 rebounds.

“I think that’s gonna take our team to a whole new level; being able to play with both Justins down low and Cheick as well,” said Heading. “So I think as long as we keep moving in the right direction, in terms of our chemistry, and in terms of playing for each other rather than playing for ourselves, I think the sky’s the limit for us.”

Heading finally got to see action in the PBA, three years after being selected by Terrafirma in a special draft for then-members of the Gilas Pilipinas pool. Converge got the lefty guard two weeks ago in exchange for Aljun Melecio, Keith Zaldivar and a future draft pick.

Arana, Bryan Santos, Mike Nieto, Deschon Winston and Alec Stockton also did their roles in getting the FiberXers’ off to a winning start in their quest to build on their quarterfinal finish in the Governors’ Cup when they came close to beating June Mar Fajardo and the San Miguel Beermen.

Cheick Diallo was a towering presence for Converge against Terrafirma.

Rough start

“It’s good to get a first win underneath us,” Heading said. “I think we got a lot of work to do. Still wasn’t really happy with the way that we played, but [improvement is] gonna come with time.

“We gotta build our chemistry out there, we gotta figure out what each guy does well and carve out each other’s roles and be aware of that. I think tonight, it was a little bit sloppy, but still good to come away with our first win,” he added as Converge returns to action Friday to play guest team Hong Kong Eastern, a 102-87 winner over Phoenix in the nightcap.

Terrafirma, meanwhile, got its own campaign off to a rough start, with new additions Terrence Romeo and Vic Manuel out after being acquired from San Miguel Beer in exchange for long-time mainstays Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig.

New coach Raymond Tiongco, who replaced Johnedel Cardel, is hoping the two will be available in Saturday’s game against NorthPort at Ynares Center in Antipolo City after Romeo sat out due to injury while Manuel dealt with an undisclosed sickness.

The Dyip are also playing sans Christian Standhardinger, who is on the injury reserve list with his contract set to expire at the end of the month.

Tiongco refrained from making comment on Standhardinger’s status, but said that the star big man has not joined Terrafirma’s practices leading up to the second conference.