By Gio Gloria
The Converge FiberXers had quite the offseason, making a flurry of deals in an effort to retool their roster for the upcoming PBA Commissioner’s Cup. Efforts to streamline and assess roster fit were evident, but the most intriguing move may have been the FiberXers’ efforts to acquire Jonnel Policarpio.
Policarpio remains an NLEX Road Warrior as of this writing, but the deal to send him to Converge will likely pass PBA scrutiny and won’t be deemed highly controversial by the general public. The three-team swap among the FiberXers, Road Warriors, and the Meralco Bolts is a mixture of veterans and a draft pick, but the centerpiece in this trade is still Policarpio.
Policarpio is a matchup nightmare by Philippine standards; he’s as tall as many forwards and even some centers, but he can also glide to the rim and put the ball on the floor like some of the country’s best perimeter players. These abilities also extend to the defensive end, where he can guard some of the opposing team’s better players.
The unique blend of physical attributes and skills made him a tantalizing talent in college and likely factored into NLEX selecting him with the sixth overall pick in the 2024 PBA Draft despite just one playing year in the UAAP.
Despite being the youngest player in his draft class, Policarpio didn’t need much time to contribute even if the numbers caught up later on. The former DLSU Green Archer proved early on that he can contribute but all he needed was time to be able to do so consistently. And with Converge, he’ll have just that.
The FiberXers currently have Juan Gomez De Liano and Alec Stockton as its primary backcourt and adding Policarpio won’t be a problem especially with Converge trading away Schonny Winston. Policarpio can easily slot into either forward spot and assume guard duties when either De Liano or Stockton are on the bench. With the presence of Justin Arana, Justine Balatazar, and Kylor Kelley (for the Commissioner’s Cup), Policarpio won’t need to play heavy minutes at the power forward spot but in the long run, he can be a mismatch for when the FiberXers decide to go with a smaller lineup.
All things considered, Jonnel Policarpio would greatly benefit from spending time with the Converge FiberXers not just during the offseason but also in between breaks during the conferences. The time spent learning the FiberXers’ system will help him transition quickly, but equally important would be the pre-conference games where reps will be available. The game seems to come naturally to Policarpio, who has the tools to dominate and win games. All he needs is an opportunity to shine.
