Converge backs Alec Stockton, Delta Pineda emphasizes team growth

Converge may be nursing a three-game slide in the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, but inside the locker room, the tone is far from fractured. Instead of dwelling on another painful finish, head coach Delta Pineda is choosing patience and perspective.

The FiberXers’ 103-99 loss to San Miguel had all the markings of a familiar heartbreak, a tight contest that slipped just beyond reach in the closing seconds. But rather than point fingers, Pineda made it clear that development remains the bigger picture.

“Let’s give Alec a chance,” the incumbent Pampanga vice governor said shortly after the match at the Ynares Center.

The turning point came with 27.2 seconds remaining. Alec Stockton was called for a foul on Don Trollano, sending the veteran to the line for two free throws that broke a 99-all deadlock and handed San Miguel a 101-99 lead.

The moment also echoed Stockton’s late-game miscue against Ginebra in the previous Philippine Cup quarterfinals, where a similar foul led to a heartbreaking exit. But Pineda refused to draw comparisons that would place undue weight on his young guard.

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Converge head coach Delta Pineda denied rumors that Alec Stockton will be traded, emphasizing the team’s focus on building the young guard’s confidence despite recent miscues. l Via Zeus Valdez #FastBreak #AlecStockton #ConvergeFiberXers #PBA pic.twitter.com/kbgjUR2CWS

— Fastbreak (@fastbreaknewsph) March 29, 2026

“Yung mga ganoong situation, hindi natin puwedeng isisi sa kanya. It’s part of the game, talagang sumabit eh. Pero ‘yung mga important score din, nag-deliver naman si Alec. Huwag nating i-blame doon sa bata ‘yun.” he said.

Just seconds before the foul, Stockton had delivered under pressure, draining a clutch four-pointer to tie the game at 99. He finished with 17 points, eight assists, and no turnovers — a performance that highlighted his impact despite the late miscue.

Beyond the result, Pineda found positives in how the team functioned as a unit. Converge tallied 25 assists, a sign that its offensive rhythm is beginning to take shape after an up-and-down stretch.

“For us, this is maybe the best game for the team, at least ‘yung chemistry nandoon na especially on our assists. We had 25 assists,” he said.

“We fought hard, breaks of the game lang sa huli. Even other players contributed, especially Mikey [Williams]. Unti-unti, naaanuhan natin.”

That “unti-unti” progress — gradual, imperfect, but forward-moving — is what the FiberXers are choosing to hold onto. The losses may be piling up, but so are the signs of cohesion and growth.

Still, the outside noise has grown louder. For the past two games, Stockton has absorbed heavy criticism on social media following late-game mistakes that proved costly for Converge.

Inside the team, however, the message is clear, he has their full backing.

Juan Gomez de Liaño, who has mostly been on the sidelines this season, acknowledged that slumps are a normal part of the game and expressed confidence that Stockton, who works hard in every practice, will recover.

“It’s just about finding ways to recover, being mentally strong and bouncing back. We’re a hundred percent sure he will do those,” De Liaño added.

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