Despite being Smart/PLDT’s industry rival, Converge gets unanimous vote as newest PBA franchise

Former PBA commissioner Chito Salud (left) with PBA commissioner Willie Marcial (right) and Alaska board representative Dickie Bachmann. —DENISON REY A. DALUPANG

MANILA, Philippines – It takes a lot of goodwill for Converge ICT Solutions to make it to the Philippines Basketball Association (PBA) elite list.

So, one thing Chito Salud, the upcoming club’s representative to the board, did was to express the gratitude of team owner Dennis Anthony Uy to the league’s leadership, especially Especially Smart/PLDT franchise owner, Manny V. Pangilinan – a corporate rival – for accepting Converge by unanimous vote.

“In Mr. Uy’s mind, Mr. Pangilinan is a true ambassador of sport and is the PBA proud of this sporting gesture,” Salud said in a brief press conference at half-time in the opening match. Magnolia-Meralco semi-final at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

Converge of the path to the PBA and buy Alaska has disbanded There was one big obstacle facing it: The League was often annoyed with the competitors joining its list of ball clubs. And Converge is a telecommunications giant and a tough competitor to PLDT/Smart in that industry.

Plus, a trusted insider revealed to the Inquirer that Pangilinan may even have personal reasons to block Converge’s path to the tournament. When the Pampanga-based company was still in its infancy, Pangilinan offered to buy it from Uy with the lure of billions of pesos. Uy turned down that offer.

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But the PBA board, chaired by one of Pangilinan’s most senior delegates, Ricky Vargas, a representative of TNT, ignored all that and approved the sale of the Alaska franchise to Converge with score 11-0.

“We’re going into next season, the 47th season, and we’re looking forward to a productive period in the PBA’s next 47 years,” Salud said.

And Salud vowed to continue Alaska’s tradition of proper competition.

“Converge will be an active and strong member of the PBA, and with the full and complete support of the leadership team and constant recalibration, we will compete at a high level and will deliver top notch entertainment for Filipino basketball fans,” said Salud.

“[The] basketball brand, will reflect its core values: Hard work, discipline, creativity, courage and excellence,” he added.

Meanwhile, Magnolia has a lethargic half head and goes just in time to create a 94-80 win over Meralco in the opening match of the Governor’s Cup semi-final series.

The Hotshots fought back from 17 points and then became more assertive in the final two innings for the lead in a scramble for three with the Bolts.

“This is very important, especially since it’s only one of the five best series,” Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said in post-match press.

In the second game, Barangay Ginebra also leads 1-0 overcame NLEX in the semi-finals with a 95-86 win.

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