18-603: The Converge FiberXers are a professional basketball team owned by Converge ICT . The team competes in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). The franchise began after acquiring the former Alaska Aces franchise on March 23, 2022. On February 16, 2022, Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC) announced that the Alaska Aces would leave the PBA at the end of the 2021 Governors' Cup . This was due to
36-460: A directive by FrieslandCampina , parent company of AMC. Several companies expressed interest to buy the Aces or its franchise. The prospect company could retain the Alaska Aces team if they bought the franchise within the ongoing season. In the event the franchise was not sold within the ongoing season, the PBA would place the players in a dispersal draft . On March 23, the PBA announced the sale of
54-675: A license by the National Telecommunications Commission to broadcast free-to-air TV networks via satellite television in the country. They announced plans to launch the service with KT SAT, a subsidiary of KT Corporation , with an eye towards serving rural areas. Converge ICT serves fiber optic Internet access in Metro Manila , Calabarzon , Central Luzon and several parts of the Bicol and Ilocos regions , and continues to expand its coverage across
72-658: A new contract with the Converge FiberXers on his sophomore year in the professional league PBA . On February 7, 2024, Zaldivar got the most votes from fans for the PBA All-Star RSJ game. On November 12, 2024, Zaldivar was traded to the Terrafirma Dyip along with Aljun Melecio and the 2025 Converge first-round pick for the draft rights of Jordan Heading . As of the end of 2023–24 season This biographical article relating to
90-581: A tanking tactic by the team in order to get the first overall pick in the next year's draft, but Aldin Ayo dismisses the allegations. In 2024 draft , Converge selected Justin Baltazar , an ex- La Salle bigman who also played for Ayo. But Baltazar will finish first the 2024 MPBL season with Pampanga as per his contract with the team. But before the season start, Ayo resigned as head coach and McJour Luib as lead assistant coach. Longtime assistant Franco Atienza
108-675: The Congress of the Philippines enacted Republic Act No. 9707, to grant Converge ICT Solutions Inc. the franchise to construct, install, establish, operate, and maintain a telecommunication system throughout the Philippines. In 2020, Converge ICT Solutions Inc. debuted in the Philippine Stock Exchange through an initial public offering. In 2021, Uy told local media that a deal “is on” with Satellite Internet provider Starlink . Demand for services surged during
126-738: The Terrafirma Dyip of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA). Zaldivar played high school basketball for the Adamson Baby Falcons . He was a center of the Adamson Soaring Falcons of the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP), with Jerom Lastimosa playing the point. In May 2022, the Magnolia Hotshots drafted Zaldivar 12th overall. They would later let go of him, leading to his signing of
144-465: The 2024 and 2025 Converge second-round pick to Rain or Shine for Mike Nieto . In the middle of the Philippine Cup (season-ending conference in that season), Converge traded Jerrick Balanza for Magnolia Hotshots ' 2024 second-round pick. The season was notable for two conference for the national team preparations, but both with dismal performance for Converge. The losses was rumored to be
162-456: The Alaska Aces to Converge ICT . The sale was unanimously approved by the PBA Board of Governors. Smart Communications , the owner of TNT Tropang Giga and a business competitor of Converge, was noted for not blocking Converge's entry into the PBA. Former PBA commissioner Chito Salud serves as the board governor of the new team. On April 2, the team announced that Jeffrey Cariaso , who was
180-544: The FiberXers. Before the Philippine Cup, their 2023 first-round pick was traded to NLEX for Tyrus Hill and David Murrell . Converge also traded Kurt Lojera to Blackwater Bossing for bigman Yousef Taha . In mid-conference, Converge traded Robbie Herndon for 2023 and 2024 San Miguel Beermen 's second-round pick. They also traded Ben Adamos , and Kurt Lojera to Phoenix Fuel Masters for Aljun Melecio , and Kris Porter . Under Cariaso, Converge's first conference
198-484: The conference, but notable for being benched in some games due to his undisciplined behavior like being late in practice. In Ayo's first conference as coach, he led the team into quarterfinals, only swept by San Miguel Beermen in two games. Converge signed free-agent Bradwyn Guinto , And Danny Ildefonso reactivated in the roster due to injuries to other players. Like their inaugural conference, Converge placed 7th and defeated by San Miguel Beermen in one game. Before
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#1732801443102216-455: The country. Converge ICT competes with PLDT and Globe Telecom as providers of fiber-to-the-home broadband Internet, in their respective areas of coverage. As of March 2022, it has around 1.8 million subscribers, all of whom are in Luzon , Visayas , and Mindanao . Keith Zaldivar Keith Howell "Pong" D. Zaldivar (born June 25, 1996) is a Filipino professional basketball player for
234-535: The country. It had 1,969,663 FiberX subscribers as of June 2023 capturing 54% of the market share of fiber to the home in the country. As of 2022, the Converge fiber backbone reached 600,000 kilometers, passing through 495 cities and municipalities across the country. Converge was established in 1996 as the ComClark Network and Technology Corp. by Dennis Anthony Uy in 1996 at Angeles City. In 2009,
252-401: The last head coach of the former Aces team prior to the sale of the franchise, was retained as head coach. On April 5, Converge ICT formally unveiled their team under the name Converge FiberXers. It was also announced that the assistant coaches of the former Alaska team were retained. Erstwhile Alaska Aces board governor and team manager Richard Bachmann served as the assistant team manager of
270-553: The pandemic, with an estimated 84% jump in revenue during the first quarter of the 2021 fiscal year. In 2021, the company also partnered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and local governments to provide free fiber-powered internet and tents at Diskwento Caravan. In October 2021, Converge ICT completed the domestic subsea cable project, with ₱6 billion investment cost. In July 2024, Converge ICT announced that their subsidiary Reliance Broadcasting had been granted
288-608: The season start, Converge drafted Schonny Winston, and BJ Andrade. Team also signed Keith Zaldivar , Mac Tallo , resigned Kevin Racal , Jerrick Balanza , Aljun Melecio , Justin Arana , and Alec Stockton . But they released Maverick Ahanmisi to Ginebra, Jeron Teng , Barkley Eboña , and Mac Tallo , who have been terminated because of playing " ligang labas ". They also traded David Murrell and Abu Tratter , for Adrian Wong , and 2023 Magnolia's first-round pick. The team also traded
306-746: Was appointed as interim coach. In addition, Benilde Blazers head coach Charles Tiu joined the coaching staff. Roster *one-game playoffs **team had the twice-to-beat advantage Converge ICT Converge ICT Solutions Inc. , doing business as Converge (also known as ComClark in Pampanga ), is a telecommunication service provider in the Philippines . It operates fiber optic broadband networks, Internet Protocol television (marketed as Converge Vision ; in partnership with Pacific Kabelnet), cable television (marketed as Air Cable), and cable Internet (marketed as Air Internet) in
324-620: Was rough, placed 7th in the standings and faced TNT Tropang Giga in the quarterfinals, but the Tropang Giga have twice to beat advantage, and defeated Converge in one game. In August 2022, Cariaso was released as the head coach of the team and was replaced by Aldin Ayo . Converge traded Michael DiGregorio , Tyrus Hill , and RK Ilagan to Blackwater Bossing for Barkley Eboña and TNT's 2022 first-round pick. They also traded Allyn Bulanadi for Jerrick Balanza to NorthPort Batang Pier . The team paraded Quincy Miller as their import for
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